4 Philly Nominees Named James Beard Award Finalists

PHILADELPHIA – It almost seemed like home field advantage for the four James Beard Award nominees from Philadelphia who found themselves among the finalists as they were announced recently right here in Philadelphia.

On March 14 at Parc, owned by James Beard Award-winning restaurateur Stephen Starr, four nominees from Philly were named finalists in the "Oscars of the food world" as the James Beard Foundation announced all finalists in its 2018 awards.

Ellen Yin, of High Street Hospitality Group, was named a finalist in the Outstanding Restaurateur category.

Zahav, which is owned by Beard award winner Michael Solomonov, is a finalist in the Outstanding Service category.

Adding to Zahav's laurels, its chef Camille Cogswell has been named a finalist in the Rising Star Chef of the Year category.

Lastly, Rich Landau, head chef at Vedge, was announced as a finalist in the Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic category, which covers Washington DC, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Virginia, and Pennsylvania.

You can check out the full list of nominees here.

Winners will be announced at the 2018 James Beard Awards Gala on Monday, May 7, at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Tickets to the gala cost $500 a piece and go on sale March 21 online here.

(Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images for #Culinary Kickoff)