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17 Local Chefs And Bakers Named James Beard Award Semifinalists
The fried fish dinner with a cornbread muffin, macaroni and cheese and corn and okra salad from Dulan's Soul Food Kitchen at Manchester and La Brea.
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Elina Shatkin
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LAist
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Los Angeles and Orange County chefs and bakers have tallied 17 semifinalist nominations for the 2024 James Beard Foundation Awards, a prestigious accolade in the culinary world.
The James Beard Foundation nominates notable restaurants, bakeries, bars, and chefs from across the country in various categories that include California's best chef, restaurant and more. Here are the locals who made the cut — 17 people, along with a few nominated eateries.
- Outstanding Restaurateur: Greg Dulan owns three soul food restaurants in Los Angeles and Inglewood, including Dulan's Soul Food Kitchen, Hotville Chicken, and DulanVILLE in Inglewood.
- Outstanding Chef: Jeremy Fox of the Eastern European & Californian-inspired restaurant Birdie G's in Santa Monica. Rashida Holmes, Bridgetown Roti, Los Angeles.
- Emerging Chef: Danielle Duran-Zecca and Alessandro Zecca from the MexItalian eatery Amiga Amore in Highland Park.
- Best New Restaurant: Portuguese restaurant Barra Santos in Cypress Park.
- Outstanding Bakery: The sourdough-using Panaderia Gusto Bread, in Long Beach.
- Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker: Nicole Rucker of Fat + Flour with a brick-and-mortar in Culver City and a downtown Grand Central Market stall.
- Outstanding Hospitality: The mouthwatering popular restaurant Luv2eat Thai Bistro in Hollywood.
- Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program: Tiki bar Strong Water Anaheim in Anaheim.
- Outstanding Bar: Wine bar and shop Esters in Santa Monica.
Best Chef, California:
- Diego Argoti, Poltergeist inside Echo Park Barcade Button Mash, where you can find playful and indescribable food.
- Alex Garcia and Elvia Huerta, Evil Cooks, who set up a rocker taqueria in El Sereno and downtown's Smorgasburg.
- Jihee Kim, Perilla, a tiny house banchan shop in Chinatown.
- Alfonso “Poncho” Martinez, Poncho’s Tlayudas, a weekend Oaxacan pop up in South L.A.
- Dima Habibeh, Ammatoli, where you can find contemporary Mediterranean nibbles in Long Beach.
- Lord Maynard Llera, Kuya Lord, a Filipino restaurant immersed in Southern Tagalog region cuisine in Hollywood.
- Michael and Stefano Procaccini, La Parolaccia, an osteria specializing in pasta and pizza in Long Beach.
- Alisa Reynolds, My 2 Cents, a Southern food restaurant serving comfort food in Mid-Wilshire.
- Christian Yang, Yang's Kitchen, An Asian-American breakfast and dinner spot in Alhambra.
Finalists will be announced April 3. Winners will be announced on June 10 in Chicago.
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