18 Pennsylvania Chefs, Restaurants Named James Beard Award Semifinalists In 2017

The James Beard Foundation released its list of semifinalists Wednesday for best chef and restaurant awards, and many Pennsylvania establishments made the list.

The list of semifinalists announced Wednesday will be sent to a panel of more than 600 judges — made up mainly of restaurant critics, food and wine editors, culinary educators and past James Beard Foundation Restaurant and Chef Award winners — to whittle each category down to five nominees.

The finalists will be announced on March 15, and the winners will be announced May 1 in Chicago, according to the James Beard Foundation.

This year, 18 Pennsylvania establishments and chefs were included as semifinalists in award categories such as outstanding baker, best new restaurant and rising star chef of the year. Twenty chefs were also named semifinalists for the regional best chef award.

Here's the full list of Pennsylvania chefs and restaurants named as James Beard Foundation Award semifinalists:

Best New Restaurant

Saté Kampar, Philadelphia

Outstanding Baker

Tova du Plessis, Essen Bakery, Philadelphia

Outstanding Bar Program

Martha, Philadelphia

Outstanding Chef

Michael Solomonov, Zahav, Philadelphia

Outstanding Pastry Chef

Pat O’Malley, Hungry Pigeon, Philadelphia
Casey Renee, Whitfield, Pittsburgh

Outstanding Restaurateur

Stephen Starr, Starr Restaurants, Philadelphia (Le Coucou, Serpico, Upland, and others)
Ellen Yin, High Street Hospitality Group, Philadelphia (Fork, High Street on Market, High Street on Hudson

Outstanding Service

Zahav, Philadelphia

Outstanding Wine, Spirits, or Beer Professional

Herman C. Mihalich and John S. Cooper, Dad’s Hat Pennsylvania Rye Whiskey, Bristol, PA

Rising Star Chef of the Year

Camille Cogswell, Zahav, Philadelphia
Becca Hegarty, The Café Carnegie, Pittsburgh
Jesse Ito, Royal Izakaya, Philadelphia

Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic (D.C., DE, MD, NJ, PA, VA)

Nicholas Elmi, Laurel, Philadelphia
Rich Landau, Vedge, Philadelphia
Cristina Martinez and Benjamin Miller, South Philly Barbacoa, Philadelphia
Greg Vernick, Vernick Food & Drink, Philadelphia
Wei Zhu, Chengdu Gourmet, Pittsburgh