10 Washington Restaurants Nominated For 2018 James Beard Awards

SEATTLE, WA — Foodies rejoice: you have some new restaurants to seek out. The semifinalists for this year’s James Beard Foundation Awards — dubbed the Oscars for restaurants — have been released and more than 20 restaurants from Washington made the list.

The awards across 21 categories for national and regional chef and restaurant awards were released on Thursday. Categories include best new restaurant, best chef, outstanding baker and outstanding service, among others.

Here are the nominees from Washington:

New Restaurant
JuneBaby, Seattle

Best Chef - Pacific Northwest
Eric Donnelly, RockCreek, Seattle
Edouardo Jordan, Salare, Seattle
Taichi Kitamura, Sushi Kappo Tamura, Seattle
Mark Schroder, Opus Co., Seattle
Mutsuko Soma, Kamonegi, Seattle
Anna Vogel, Italia Trattoria, Spokane
Rachel Yang and Seif Chirchi, Joule, Seattle

Best Bakery
Evan Andres, Columbia City Bakery

Outstanding Bar Program
Canon, Seattle

Best Chef
Renee Erickson, Bateau, Seattle
Holly Smith, Cafe Juanita, Kirkland
Blaine Wetzel, The Willows Inn on Lummi Island

Outstanding Restaurant
Canlis, Seattle

Outstanding Restaurateur
Ethan Stowell, Ethan Stowell Restaurants

Outstanding Wine Program
Wild Ginger, Seattle

Outstanding Wine, Beer, or Spirits Program
Dave Green, Skagit Valley Malting, Burlington

Rising Star Chef
Jay Blackinton, Hogstone’s Wood Oven/Aelder, Orcas Island
Shota Nakajima, Adana, Seattle
Maximillian Petty, Eden Hill, Seattle

The foundation holds an online open call for entries every year. A committee reviews thousands of entries to come up with a nominating ballot of semifinalists in each category.

An independent volunteer panel of more than 600 judges — comprised of top regional restaurant critics, food and wine editors, culinary educators, and past winners — then votes on specific award categories to determine the final five nominees in each category.

They then vote on these five nominees to select the winners. The foundation will announce the final nominees on the morning of March 14 at Parc in Philadelphia. The event will be live-streamed.

The winners will be announced at Pier Sixty at Chelsea Piers in New York City on April 27. They’ll receive a certificate and a medallion engraved with the James Beard Foundation Awards insignia. There are no cash prizes.

Caption: Chef Holly Smith of Cafe Juanita in Kirkland, Washington, is seen in the restaurant's dining room with English Pea Salad with pecorino, chive blossoms and lemon cracker, Thursday, June 12, 2008. Holly Smith spent five years as second-in-command at the Dahlia Lounge in Seattle and a year as sous chef at Brasa before buying Cafe Juanita in 2000. She swiftly took the 28-year-old destination dinner house to a new level using innovation, artistry and fresh ingredients. Smith won the 2008 James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef in the Northwest.

Photo by Clint Karlsen/Associated Press