James Beard Awards: DC Area Restaurants Score Lots Of Nominations

Foodies rejoice: you have some new restaurants to seek out. The semifinalists for this year’s James Beard Foundation Awards — dubbed the Oscars for restaurants — have been released and 20 restaurants/chefs from the D.C. and Northern Virginia area made the list (all restaurants are in D.C. unless otherwise noted).

The awards across 21 categories for national and regional chef and restaurant awards were released on Thursday. Categories include best new restaurant, best chef, outstanding baker and outstanding service, among others.

Out of more than 20,000 entrants, 20 from our area made the list.

Best New Restaurant:

ChiKo
Del Mar
Mayday

Outstanding Bar Program:

Columbia Room

Outstanding Chef:

Vikram Sunderam (Rasika)
Fabio Trabocchi (Fiola)

Outstanding Pastry Chef:

Aggie Chin (Mirabelle)

Oustanding Restaurant:

Jaleo
Komi

Outstanding Restaurateur:

Ashok Bajaj (Knightsbridge Restaurant Group)

Outstanding Service:

Marcel’s by Robert Wiedmaier

Oustanding Wine Program:

Bourbon Steak

Rising Star Chef

Daniela Moreira (Timber Pizza)
Kevin Tien (Himitsu)

Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic

Amy Brandwein (Centrolina)
Tom Cunanan (Bad Saint)
Jeremiah Langhorne (The Dabney)
Esther Lee (Obelisk)
Seng Luangrath (Padaek - Falls Church, Va.)
Cedric Maupillier (Convivial)

The foundation holds an online open call for entries every year. A committee reviews thousands of entries to come up with a nominating ballot of semifinalists in each category.

An independent volunteer panel of more than 600 judges — comprised of top regional restaurant critics, food and wine editors, culinary educators, and past winners — then votes on specific award categories to determine the final five nominees in each category.

They then vote on these five nominees to select the winners.

The foundation will announce the final nominees on the morning of March 14 at Parc in Philadelphia. The event will be live-streamed.

The winners will be announced at Pier Sixty at Chelsea Piers in New York City on April 27. They’ll receive a certificate and a medallion engraved with the James Beard Foundation Awards insignia. There are no cash prizes.

Click here to see the full list of awards.

Photo credit: Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images for #Culinary Kickoff