Seven chefs and restaurants from the Twin Cities have been named as semi-finalists for the prestigious James Beard Awards, as announced on Wednesday. The semi-finalist lists for the national culinary awards included Daniel del Prado for outstanding chef, Oro by Nixta for best new restaurant, Marc Heu for outstanding pastry chef or baker, and Meteor for outstanding bar.
Notably, female chefs made a strong showing in the regional categories, with Khâluna’s Ann Ahmed, Hai Hai’s Christina Nguyen, and Myriel’s Karyn Tomlinson all being recognized for best chef in the Midwest. Lisa Carlson and Carrie Summer of Chef Shack, based in Bay City, Wisconsin, also made the regional list.
The finalists for the James Beard Awards will be announced on April 3, with the winners revealed on June 10 in Chicago. This news comes after last year’s disappointment, where four out of five Twin Cities nominees were dropped in the finalist round.
It’s an exciting time for the Twin Cities culinary scene, with these talented individuals and establishments gaining national recognition. The final results in April and June will be highly anticipated by the local community and food enthusiasts alike.
