Philly Area Food Scene Earns 12 James Beard Award Nominations

PHILADELPHIA — A dozen Philadelphia area restaurants, chefs, bakers, and restaurateurs have been named semifinalists in the 2022 James Beard Awards, often called the Oscars of the food industry.

The food scene within the city itself earned 11 nominations for the annual awards that celebrate all things culinary. One suburban eatery was honored as well.

These 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.

Below are nominees from Philadelphia:

Outstanding Restaurateur

• Ellen Yin, High Street Hospitality Group (Fork, a.kitchen + bar, High Street Philly, and others)

Outstanding Restaurant

• Friday Saturday Sunday

Emerging Chef

• Amanda Shulman, Her Place Supper Club

Best New Restaurant

• Laser Wolf

Outstanding Pastry Chef

• Angela Cicala, Cicala at the Divine Lorraine

Outstanding Baker

• Rhonda Saltzman and Mercedes Brooks, Second Daughter Baking Co.

Outstanding Wine Program

• a.kitchen + bar

Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic (DC, DE, MD, NJ, PA, VA)

• Jesse Ito, Royal Izakaya
• Adam Diltz, Elwood
• Cristina Martinez, South Philly Barbacoa
• Chutatip “Nok” Suntaranon, Kalaya Thai Kitchen

Outside the city, West Chester's Andiario was named as a semifinalist in the Best Chef category.

See the full list of semifinalists online here.

Winners will be celebrated at the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards ceremony on Monday, June 13, at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.

The James Beard Foundation’s Restaurant and Chef Awards were established in 1991 and is one of five separate recognition programs of the awards.

This year's James Beard Awards will be the first in two years, after a hiatus during which the Awards underwent a full audit of its policies and procedures, continuing the work to remove bias, increase transparency and accessibility, and making the program more aligned with the foundation’s mission and values.