Detroit Eateries James Beard Award Semifinalists

DETROIT, MI — Several Metro Detroit restaurants and individuals are semifinalists in the James Beard Foundation’s 2017 Restaurant and Chef Awards. They semifinalists announced Wednesday were selected from more than 24,000 online entries in 21 categories.

Among them are Katoi, a Southeast Asia-inspired restaurant in Corktown for the Best New Restaurant award presented by True Refrigeration; Lisa Ludwinski of Sister Pie, a Detroit bakery featuring seasonal pies and cookies, for Outstanding Baker award; and Standby, a Detroit eatery offering creative cocktails, for the Outstanding Bar Program award.

Nick Janutol, the executive chef at Birmingham’s Forest Grill, is a Great Lakes area semifinalist for best chef.

The finalists will be announced March 15, and the winners will be named May 1 at the James Beard Foundation Awards Gala at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.

Tell Us: Have you eaten or sampled a cocktail at any of these establishments? Leave a review in the comments.

Founded in 1986, the James Beard Foundation celebrates, nurtures, and honors chefs and other leaders making America's food culture more delicious, diverse, and sustainable for everyone. A cookbook author and teacher with an encyclopedic knowledge about food, the late James Beard was a champion of American cuisine.

Photo by John Mettraux via Flickr Commons