13 MI Restaurants, Chefs Named James Beard Award Semifinalists

MICHIGAN — Restaurants and chefs in Michigan are well represented in the semifinalists announced Wednesday for the prestigious 2023 James Beard Awards, sometimes referred to as the Oscars of the culinary arts industry.

Named for the late chef, cookbook author and food presenter James Beard, the awards “recognize exceptional talent in the culinary and food media industries, as well as a demonstrated commitment to racial and gender equity, community, sustainability, and a culture where all can thrive,” the James Beard Foundation said Wednesday in a news release.

The semifinalists are recognized across 23 categories, including a new award for outstanding bakery.

Here are 2023 James Beard Award nominees from Michigan:

Outstanding Restaurateur

• Sandy Levine, owner of the Chartreuse, Freya, Dragonfly, and the Oakland, Detroit

Outstanding Chef

• Hajime Sato of Sozai, Clawson

Emerging Chef

• Amado Lopez, Casa Amado Taqueria, Berkley

Outstanding Bakery

• Good Cakes and Bakes, Detroit

Outstanding Wine or Other Beverages Program

• Spencer, Ann Arbor

Best Chefs in the Great Lakes Region

• Omar Anani, Saffron De Twah, Detroit
• Abra Berens, Granor Farm, Three Oaks
• Norberto Garita, El Barzon, Detroit
• Andy Hollyday, Selden Standard, Detroit
• Ji Hye Kim, Miss Kim, Ann Arbor
• Hamissi Mamba and Nadia Nijimbere, Baobab Fare, Detroit
• Mike Ransom, Ima, Detroit
• Sarah Welch, Marrow, Detroit

Award nominees will be announced March 29, and the winners will be celebrated at the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards Ceremony on June 5 at the Lyric Opera in Chicago.