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Here they are! Below are the semifinalists for the 2016 Restaurant and Chef Awards. Read on for semifinalists in all categories, from Outstanding Restaurant to Rising Star Chef of the Year. For a refresher on how these names were selected, read this. And don't forget: we'll announce the final Restaurant and Chef Award nominees, as well as the nominations for our Book, Journalism, Broadcast Media, and Restaurant Design Awards, in San Francisco and on Twitter on Tuesday, March 15. The 2016 James Beard Awards Gala will be held at the Lyric Opera of Chicago on Monday, May 2. The Foundation's Book, Broadcast & Journalism Awards Dinner will take place at Pier Sixty at Chelsea Piers in New York City on Tuesday, April 26. Best New Restaurant Presented by True Refrigeration®   Alter, Miami Bardot Brasserie, Las Vegas The Blanchard, Chicago Bracero Cocina de Raíz, San Diego  Cala, San Francisco Cassia, Santa Monica, CA Coquine, Portland, OR The Dabney, Washington, D.C. Death & Taxes, Raleigh, NC Eloisa, Santa Fe Girin Steakhouse & Ssam Bar, Seattle Helen Greek Food and Wine, Houston The Honey Paw, Portland, ME Intro, Chicago Kinship, Washington, D.C. Launderette, Austin Liholiho Yacht Club, San Francisco Mabel Gray, Hazel Park, MI Morcilla, Pittsburgh Público, University City, MO Shaya, New Orleans Shepard, Cambridge, MA Staplehouse, Atlanta Superiority Burger, NYC Wildair, NYC 2016 Outstanding Baker Robert Alexander, The General Muir, Atlanta Evan Andres, Columbia City Bakery, Seattle Kim Boyce, Bakeshop, Portland, OR Joanne Chang, Flour Bakery + Café, Boston Andre Chin and Amanda Eap, Artisan Boulanger Patissier, Philadelphia Rick Easton, Bread and Salt, Pittsburgh Mark Furstenberg, Bread Furst, Washington, D.C. Michelle Gayer, Salty Tart, Minneapolis Zachary Golper, Bien Cuit, Brooklyn, NY Marie Jackson, The Flaky Tart, Atlantic Highlands, NJ John Kraus, Patisserie 46, Minneapolis Phoebe Lawless, Scratch Bakery, Durham, NC Belinda Leong and Michel Suas, B. Patisserie, San Francisco Cheryl Maffei and Jonathan Stevens, Hungry Ghost Bread, Northampton, MA  Dave and Megan Miller, Baker Miller Bakery & Millhouse, Chicago Moshit Mizrachi-Gabbitas, Janjou Pâtisserie, Boise, ID  Sarah O’Brien, The Little Tart, Atlanta Lionel Vatinet, La Farm Bakery, Cary, NC Melissa Weller, Sadelle’s, NYC William Werner, Craftsman and Wolves, San Francisco Outstanding Bar Program Anvil Bar & Refuge, Houston Arnaud’s French 75 Bar, New Orleans Bar Agricole, San Francisco Barmini, Washington, D.C.  Café ArtScience, Cambridge, MA Canon, Seattle Clyde Common, Portland, OR Cure, New Orleans Kimball House, Decatur, GA Lost Lake, Chicago Maison Premiere, Brooklyn, NY Mockingbird Hill, Washington, D.C. The Patterson House, Nashville Polite Provisions, San Diego The Olde Bar, Philadelphia Row 34, Boston The Side Project Cellar, Maplewood, MO Tired Hands Fermentaria, Ardmore, PA Trick Dog, San Francisco The Varnish, Los Angeles Outstanding ChefPresented by All-Clad Metalcrafters Sean Brock, Husk, Nashville  Andrew Carmellini, Locanda Verde, NYC Ashley Christensen, Poole’s Downtown Diner, Raleigh, NC Tyson Cole, Uchi, Austin Matt Dillon, Bar Sajor, Seattle Suzanne Goin, Lucques, Los Angeles Jennifer Jasinski, Rioja, Denver David Kinch, Manresa, Los Gatos, CA Christopher Kostow, The Restaurant at Meadowood, St. Helena, CA Donald Link, Herbsaint, New Orleans Tony Mantuano, Spiaggia, Chicago Tory Miller, L’Etoile, Madison, WI Carrie Nahabedian, Naha, Chicago Nancy Oakes, Boulevard, San Francisco Gabriel Rucker, Le Pigeon, Portland, OR Michael Solomonov, Zahav, Philadelphia Ana Sortun, Oleana, Cambridge, MA Jerry Traunfeld, Poppy, Seattle Michael Tusk, Quince, San Francisco Marc Vetri, Vetri, Philadelphia Outstanding Pastry ChefPresented by Valrhona​ Antonio Bachour, The St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort, Bal Harbour, FL Aggie Chin, The Grill Room, Washington, D.C. Melissa Chou, Mourad, San Francisco Juan Contreras, Atelier Crenn, San Francisco Kelly Fields, Willa Jean, New Orleans Meg Galus, Boka, Chicago Kate Jacoby, Vedge, Philadelphia Michelle Karr-Ueoka, MW Restaurant, Honolulu Maura Kilpatrick, Oleana, Cambridge, MA Margarita Manzke, République, Los Angeles Dolester Miles, Highlands Bar & Grill, Birmingham, AL Junko Mine, Café Juanita, Kirkland, WA Kristen Murray, Maurice, Portland, OR Kimiko Nishimura, Tomo, Atlanta  Dahlia Narvaez, Osteria Mozza, Los Angeles Ghaya Oliveira, Daniel, NYC Laura Sawicki, Launderette, Austin Cynthia Wong, Rhubarb, Asheville, NC Diane Yang, Spoon and Stable, Minneapolis Jennifer Yee, Lafayette, NYC Outstanding RestaurantPresented by Acqua Panna® Natural Spring Water A.O.C., Los Angeles Acquerello, San Francisco Alinea, Chicago Bluestem, Kansas City, MO Craft, NYC Five & Ten, Athens, GA Fore Street, Portland, ME Foreign Cinema, San Francisco Fork, Philadelphia Frankies 457, Brooklyn, NY Frasca Food & Wine, Boulder, CO Highlands Bar and Grill, Birmingham, AL Jaleo, Washington, D.C. Lark, Seattle Momofuku Noodle Bar, NYC Pizzeria Bianco, Phoenix Providence, Los Angeles Rasika, Washington, D.C. Restaurant Gary Danko, San Francisco The Spotted Pig, NYC Outstanding Restaurateur Ashok Bajaj, Knightsbridge Restaurant Group, Washington, D.C. (The Bombay Club, The Oval Room, Rasika, and others) Elizabeth Blau and Kim Canteenwalla, Blau and Associates, Las Vegas (Honey Salt, Made LV, Andiron, and others)  Kevin Boehm and Rob Katz, Boka Restaurant Group, Chicago (Boka, Girl & the Goat, Momotaro, Swift & Sons, and others) Frank Bonanno, Bonanno Concepts, Denver (Mizuna, Luca, Osteria Marco, and others)  Roy Choi, Los Angeles (Chego, Sunny Spot, A-Frame, Pot, LocoL)  JoAnn Clevenger, Upperline, New Orleans  Sam Fox, Fox Restaurant Concepts, Phoenix (The Arrogant Butcher, Culinary Dropout, Olive & Ivy, and others)  Ken Friedman, NYC (The Spotted Pig, The Breslin, Tosca Café)  Ford Fry, Atlanta (The Optimist, St. Cecilia, State of Grace, and others)  Benjamin and Max Goldberg, Strategic Hospitality, Nashville (The Catbird Seat, Pinewood Social, The Patterson House, and others)  Garrett Harker, Boston (Eastern Standard Kitchen & Drinks, Island Creek Oyster Bar, Row 34, The Hawthorne, Branch Line) Martha Hoover, Patachou Inc., Indianapolis (Café Patachou, Petite Chou Bistro, Napolese, and others)  Ouita Michel, Lexington, KY (Holly Hill Inn, Windy Corner, Wallace Station Deli, Smithtown Seafood, and others) Michael Mina, Mina Restaurants, San Francisco (Michael Mina, Bourbon Steak, RN74, and others) Cindy Pawlcyn, Napa, CA (Mustards Grill, Cindy's Backstreet Kitchen, Cindy's Waterfront at the Monterey Bay Aquarium)  Stephen Starr, Starr Restaurants, Philadelphia (Serpico, The Dandelion, Talula's Garden, and others)  Ethan Stowell, Ethan Stowell Restaurants, Seattle (Staple & Fancy, How to Cook a Wolf, Anchovies & Olives, and others)  Andrew Tarlow, Brooklyn, NY (Diner, Marlow & Sons, Reynard, and others)  Nate Tilden, Portland, OR (Clyde Common, Olympia Provisions, Spirit of 77, The Richmond)  Tracy Vaught, Houston (Hugo’s, Caracol, Backstreet Café) Outstanding ServicePresented by Goose Island Beer Company Aubergine at L’Auberge Carmel, Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA Bacchanalia, Atlanta Blue Hill at Stone Barns, Pocantico Hills, NY Brigtsen’s, New Orleans Café Juanita, Kirkland, WA Charleston Grill, Charleston, SC Eleven Madison Park, NYC Komi, Washington, D.C. L’Espalier, Boston Marcel’s by Robert Wiedmaier, Washington, D.C. North Pond, Chicago The Pass, Houston Quince, San Francisco Restaurant August, New Orleans Saam at the Bazaar by José Andrés, Beverly Hills, CA Saison, San Francisco Stone Soup Cottage, Cottleville, MO Strip-T’s, Watertown, MA Topolobampo, Chicago Zahav, Philadelphia Outstanding Wine Program Addison at the Grand Del Mar, San Diego Benu, San Francisco Bern’s Steakhouse, Tampa, FL Canlis, Seattle Charleston, Baltimore Commander’s Palace, New Orleans Element 47, The Little Nell, Aspen, CO Empire State South, Atlanta FIG, Charleston, SC Four Seasons Resort & Club Dallas at Las Colinas, Irving, TX Jory Restaurant at the Allison Inn & Spa, Newberg, OR Miller Union, Atlanta Momofuku Ko, NYC Nopa, San Francisco Press, St. Helena, CA The Red Hen, Washington, D.C. Sepia, Chicago Spago, Beverly Hills, CA Studio at the Montage, Laguna Beach, CA  Wild Ginger, Seattle Outstanding Wine, Beer, or Spirits Professional  Mannie Berk, Rare Wine Co., Brisbane, CA Sam Calagione, Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Milton, DE Wayne Carpenter, Skagit Valley Malting, Burlington, WA Vinnie Cilurzo, Russian River Brewing Company, Santa Rosa, CA Ron Cooper, Del Maguey Single Village Mezcal, Ranchos de Taos, NM Rutger de Vink, RdV, Delaplane, VA Diane Flynt, Foggy Ridge Cider, Dugspur, VA Miljenko Grgich, Grgich Hills Estate, Rutherford, CA Jeppe Jarnit-Bjergsø, Evil Twin Brewing, Brooklyn, NY Charles Joly, Crafthouse, Chicago Jim Koch, The Boston Beer Company, Boston Manfred Krankl, Sine Qua Non, Oak View, CA Drew Kulsveen, Willett Distillery, Bardstown, KY Ted Lemon, Littorai Wines, Sebastopol, CA Steve Matthiasson, Matthiasson Wines, Napa, CA Steve McCarthy, Clear Creek Distillery, Portland, OR Aldo Sohm, Zalto Glass, NYC Rob Tod, Allagash Brewing Company, Portland, ME Harlen Wheatley, Buffalo Trace Distillery, Frankfort, KY Lance Winters, St. George Spirits, Alameda, CA Rising Star of the YearPresented by S.Pellegrino Sparkling Natural Mineral Water​ Doug Adams, Imperial, Portland, OR Tanya Baker, Boarding House, Chicago Jay Blackinton, Hogstone Wood Oven, Orcas Island, WA Alex Bois, High Street on Market, Philadelphia Joseph Cuccia, 17 Summer, Lodi, NJ Angela Dimayuga, Mission Chinese Food, NYC Ryan Fox and Ali Matteis, Nomad, Portland, OR Sara Hauman, Huxley, San Francisco Sarah Hymanson and Sara Kramer, Madcapra at Grand Central Market, Los Angeles  Bradley Kilgore, Alter, Miami Elise Kornack, Take Root, Brooklyn, NY Irene Li, Mei Mei, Boston Garrett Lipar, Marais, Grosse Pointe, MI Grae Nonas, Olamaie, Austin Misti Norris, Small Brewpub, Dallas Maximillian Petty, Eden Hill, Seattle Ryan Pollnow, Aatxe, San Francisco José Ramírez-Ruiz, Semilla, Brooklyn, NY Matt Rudofker, Momofuku Ssäm Bar, NYC Beau Schooler, The Rookery, Juneau, AK Marc Sheehan, Loyal Nine, Cambridge, MA Daniela Soto-Innes, Cosme, NYC Cara Stadler, Tao Yuan, Brunswick, ME Alan Sternberg, Cerulean, Indianapolis Jarrett Stieber, Eat Me Speak Me, Atlanta Edward Sura, Perennial Virant, Chicago Jenner Tomaska, Next, Chicago Best Chef: Great Lakes Jake Bickelhaupt, 42 Grams, Chicago  Zack Bruell, Parallax, Cleveland Jonathan Brooks, Milktooth, Indianapolis Abraham Conlon, Fat Rice, Chicago Curtis Duffy, Grace, Chicago Paul Fehribach, Big Jones, Chicago  Phillip Foss, EL Ideas, Chicago Greg Hardesty, Recess, Indianapolis Eric Heath, Cleveland-Heath, Edwardsville, IL Andy Hollyday, Selden Standard, Detroit Nick Janutol, Forest, Birmingham, MI Anne Kearney, Rue Dumaine, Dayton, OH Beverly Kim and Johnny Clark, Parachute, Chicago Ryan McCaskey, Acadia, Chicago Abbi Merriss, Bluebeard, Indianapolis Iliana Regan, Elizabeth, Chicago Jose Salazar, Mita’s, Cincinnati Lee Wolen, Boka, Chicago Erling Wu-Bower, Nico Osteria, Chicago Andrew Zimmerman, Sepia, Chicago Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic Victor Albisu, Del Campo, Washington, D.C. Scott Anderson, Elements, Princeton, NJ Joey Baldino, Zeppoli, Collingswood, NJ Erik Bruner-Yang, Maketto, Washington, D.C. Hari Cameron, a(MUSE.), Rehoboth Beach, DE Peter Chang, Peter Chang, Arlington, VA Joe Cicala, Le Virtù, Philadelphia Jose De Brito, The Alley Light, Charlottesville, VA  Tarver King, The Restaurant at Patowmack Farm, Lovettsville, VA Eli Kulp, Fork, Philadelphia Rich Landau, Vedge, Philadelphia Cedric Maupillier, Convivial, Washington, D.C. Sydney Meers, Stove, The Restaurant, Portsmouth, VA Konstantinos Pitsillides, Kanella South, Philadelphia Dan Richer, Razza Pizza Artigianale, Jersey City, NJ Justin Severino, Cure, Pittsburgh David Shannon, L’Opossum, Richmond, VA Aaron Silverman, Rose’s Luxury, Washington, D.C. Greg Vernick, Vernick Food & Drink, Philadelphia Cindy Wolf, Charleston, Baltimore Best Chef: Midwest Paul Berglund, The Bachelor Farmer, Minneapolis Thomas Boemer, Corner Table, Minneapolis Mike Brown, Bob Gerken, and James Winberg, Travail Kitchen & Amusements, Robbinsdale, MN Justin Carlisle, Ardent, Milwaukee Jim Christiansen, Heyday, Minneapolis Dan Fox, Heritage Tavern, Madison, WI Jorge Guzman, Surly Brewing Co., Minneapolis Thomas Hauck, c. 1880, Milwaukee Jonathan Hunter, Forequarter, Madison, WI Jonathan Justus, Justus Drugstore, Smithville, MO Russell Klein, Meritage, St. Paul, MN Francesco Mangano, Osteria Papavero, Madison, WI Kevin Nashan, Sidney Street Café, St. Louis Ben Poremba, Elaia, St. Louis  Mike Randolph, Público, University City, MO Lenny Russo, Heartland Restaurant & Farm Direct Market, St. Paul, MN Patrick Ryan, Port Fonda, Kansas City, MO David Swanson, Braise, Milwaukee Joe Tripp, Alba, Des Moines, IA Kevin Willmann, Farmhaus, St. Louis  Best Chef: New York City Nick Anderer, Marta Jonathan Benno, Lincoln Ristorante Rawia Bishara, Tanoreen, Brooklyn, NY Marco Canora, Hearth Mario Carbone and Rich Torrisi, Carbone John Fraser, Narcissa Markus Glocker, Bâtard James Kent, The NoMad Anna Klinger, Al di Là Trattoria, Brooklyn, NY Anita Lo, Annisa Ignacio Mattos, Estela George Mendes, Aldea Carlo Mirarchi, Blanca, Brooklyn, NY Joe Ng, RedFarm Alex Raij and Eder Montero, Txikito Bryce Shuman, Betony Justin Smillie, Upland Alex Stupak, Empellón Cocina Jonathan Waxman, Barbuto Jody Williams, Buvette Best Chef: Northeast Unmi Abkin, Coco & The Cellar Bar, Easthampton, MA Karen Akunowicz, Myers + Chang, Boston Tyler Anderson, Millwright’s Restaurant, Simsbury, CT Erin French, The Lost Kitchen, Freedom, ME Eric Gabrynowicz, Restaurant North, Armonk, NY Wesley Genovart, SoLo Farm & Table, South Londonderry, VT Brian Hill, Francine, Camden, ME Aaron Josinsky, Misery Loves Co., Winooski, VT Matt Louis, Moxy Restaurant, Portsmouth, NH Dan Magill, Arethusa al tavolo, Bantam, CT Zak Pelaccio, Fish & Game, Hudson, NY Cassie Piuma, Sarma, Somerville, MA Susan Regis, Shepard, Cambridge, MA Guy Reuge, Mirabelle, Stony Brook, NY Michael Scelfo, Alden & Harlow, Cambridge, MA Champe Speidel, Persimmon, Bristol, RI Keiko Suzuki Steinberger, Suzuki’s Sushi Bar, Rockland, ME Philip Tang, Banyan Bar + Refuge, Boston Derek Wagner, Nick’s on Broadway, Providence Mike Wiley and Andrew Taylor, Eventide Oyster Co., Portland, ME Best Chef: Northwest Jose Chesa, Ataula, Portland, OR Laura Cole, 229 Parks Restaurant & Tavern, Denali National Park & Preserve, AK Greg Denton and Gabrielle Quiñónez Denton, Ox, Portland, OR Eric Donnelly, RockCreek, Seattle Jeff Drew, Snake River Grill, Jackson, WY Mike Easton, Il Corvo Pasta, Seattle Renee Erickson, The Whale Wins, Seattle Adam Hegsted, The Wandering Table, Spokane, WA Edouardo Jordan, Salare, Seattle Joe Kim, 5 Fusion and Sushi Bar, Bend, OR Kris Komori, State & Lemp, Boise, ID Nathan Lockwood, Altura, Seattle Mike Muirhead, Mas Taco, Red Lodge, MT Trent Pierce, Roe, Portland, OR Sarah Pliner, Aviary, Portland, OR Ryan Roadhouse, Nodoguro, Portland, OR Dustin Ronspies, Art of the Table, Seattle Allen Routt, Painted Lady, Newberg, OR Justin Woodward, Castagna, Portland, OR Rachel Yang and Seif Chirchi, Joule, Seattle Best Chef: South Greg Baker, The Refinery, Tampa, FL David Bancroft, Acre, Auburn, AL Vishwesh Bhatt, Snackbar, Oxford, MS Kathleen Blake, The Rusty Spoon, Orlando, FL Bill Briand, Fisher’s Upstairs at Orange Beach Marina, Orange Beach, AL Justin Devillier, La Petite Grocery, New Orleans Jose Enrique, Jose Enrique, San Juan, PR Michael Gulotta, MoPho, New Orleans Jesse Houston, Saltine, Jackson, MS Scott Hunnel, Victoria & Albert’s at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Lake Buena Vista, FL Deme Lomas, Niu Kitchen, Miami Matthew McClure, The Hive, Bentonville, AR Rob McDaniel, SpringHouse, Alexander City, AL José Mendín, Pubbelly, Miami Beach, FL James and Julie Petrakis, The Ravenous Pig, Winter Park, FL Michael Pirolo, Macchialina, Miami Beach, FL Giorgio Rapicavoli, Eating House, Coral Gables, FL Slade Rushing, Brennan’s, New Orleans Michael Stoltzfus, Coquette, New Orleans Isaac Toups, Toups’ Meatery, New Orleans Best Chef: Southeast Nate Allen, Knife and Fork, Spruce Pine, NC Billy Allin, Cakes & Ale, Decatur, GA Jeremiah Bacon, The Macintosh, Charleston, SC Brian Canipelli, Cucina 24, Asheville, NC Kathy Cary, Lilly’s, Louisville, KY Scott Crawford, Standard Foods, Raleigh, NC Steven Devereaux Greene, Herons in the Umstead Hotel, Cary, NC Kevin Gillespie, Gunshow, Atlanta Damian Heath, Lot 12 Public House, Berkeley Springs, WV Vivian Howard, Chef & the Farmer, Kinston, NC Kevin Johnson, The Grocery, Charleston, SC Matthew Kelly, Mateo, Durham, NC Joe Kindred, Kindred, Davidson, NC Edward Lee, 610 Magnolia, Louisville, KY Erik Niel, Easy Bistro, Chattanooga, TN Steven Satterfield, Miller Union, Atlanta Ryan Smith, Staplehouse, Atlanta Andrew Ticer and Michael Hudman, Andrew Michael Italian Kitchen, Memphis Aaron Vandemark, Panciuto, Hillsborough, NC Tandy Wilson, City House, Nashville Best Chef: Southwest Charleen Badman, FnB, Scottsdale, AZ Kevin Binkley, Binkley’s, Cave Creek, AZ Bowman Brown, Forage, Salt Lake City Andrew Cooper, Terra at the Four Seasons Resort Rancho Encantado, Santa Fe Omar Flores, Casa Rubia, Dallas Bryce Gilmore, Barley Swine, Austin Manabu Horiuchi, Kata Robata, Houston Jennifer James, Jennifer James 101, Albuquerque, NM Matt McCallister, FT33, Dallas Steve McHugh, Cured, San Antonio Hugo Ortega, Caracol, Houston Jonathan Perno, La Merienda at Los Poblanos, Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, NM Steven Redzikowski, Acorn, Denver Martín Rios, Restaurant Martín, Santa Fe, NM Dana Rodriguez, Work & Class, Denver Teiichi Sakurai, Tei-An, Dallas Alex Seidel, Fruition, Denver Seth Siegel-Gardner and Terrence Gallivan, The Pass, Houston David Uygur, Lucia, Dallas Justin Yu, Oxheart, Houston Best Chef: West Matthew Accarrino, SPQR, San Francisco William Bradley, Addison at the Grand Del Mar, San Diego Josef Centeno, Orsa & Winston, Los Angeles Michael Cimarusti, Providence, Los Angeles Justin Cogley, Aubergine at L’Auberge Carmel, Carmel, CA Dominique Crenn, Atelier Crenn, San Francisco Jeremy Fox, Rustic Canyon, Santa Monica, CA Ed Kenney, Town, Honolulu Mourad Lahlou, Mourad, San Francisco Corey Lee, Benu, San Francisco Ludo Lefebvre, Trois Mec, Los Angeles Travis Lett, Gjelina, Venice, CA Ori Menashe, Bestia, Los Angeles Rick Moonen, RM Seafood, Las Vegas Melissa Perello, Octavia, San Francisco Carlos Salgado, Taco Maria, Costa Mesa, CA Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo, Animal, Los Angeles Joshua Skenes, Saison, San Francisco James Syhabout, Commis, Oakland, CA Kris Yenbamroong, Night + Market Song, Los Angeles Previous PostNext Post View our Feedly feed View the JBF RSS feed Become a Member Join JBF Today Become a Greens Member Events for foodies under 40 Sign Up for Beard Bites 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