Nominees Announced for 2017 James Beard Foundation Awards

The James Beard Foundation has announced the nominees for the 2017 James Beard Foundation Awards. The nominees were announced during a breakfast at a.o.c. in Los Angeles, hosted by Susan Ungaro, James Beard Foundation president; Mitchell Davis, executive vice-president; Emily Luchetti, chair of the James Beard Foundation's Board of Trustees; Anne Quatrano, chair of the 2017 Awards committee; and Suzanne Goin, James Beard Award-winner and chef/owner of a.o.c.

“Our Foundation is thrilled to bring our nominees announcement to the dynamic food city of Los Angeles, home to over 25 chef and restaurant awards winners," said Ungaro. "We wish the nominees in all categories the best of luck at this year’s Awards ceremonies, and congratulate the winners in several categories announced for the first time today, including Who’s Who of Food & Beverage in America, and the 2017 Design Icon honoree.”

Discover Los Angeles enlisted Billy Chun, senior director of economic development for Mayor Eric Garcetti, to speak on behalf of the city, and Marc Anderson, the executive vice president of Choose Chicago, Proud Host City of the 2017 Awards, both making key remarks and announcing nominees.

A fundraising dinner, L.A. Cooks for the James Beard Foundation, was held at Lucques the night before the announcement event. Hosted by Goin and Caroline Styne in collaboration with Discover Los Angeles and dineL.A., the multi-course dinner was prepared by an illustrious group of L.A. chefs who have been previously honored by the James Beard Foundation. The dinner successfully met its fundraising goal of $25,000.

The announcement event at a.o.c. was streamed live via the Foundation's Facebook Live channel. Additionally, multiple James Beard Award-winning chef Suzanne Goin prepared breakfast for the event guests. Dishes included Spanish fried chicken with cornmeal waffles; brioche with prosciutto, gruyere and quail egg; and a selection of pastries from her bread company, Larder Baking Co.

Nominees in nearly 60 categories were announced in the Foundation's various awards programs, including Restaurant and Chef, Restaurant Design, and Media. The James Beard Foundation Awards Gala will take place at the Lyric Opera of Chicago on Monday, May 1.

To view the full list of this year’s nominees, visit jamesbeard.org/awards. Read on for Los Angeles restaurants, chefs and media figures named as finalists of the 2017 James Beard Awards, shown IN BOLD.

A chef or baker who prepares desserts, pastries, or breads in a restaurant, and who serves as a national standard bearer of excellence. Must have been working as a pastry chef or baker for the past five years.

• Kelly Fields, Willa Jean, New Orleans
• Maura Kilpatrick, Oleana, Cambridge, MA
• Margarita Manzke, République, Los Angeles
• Dolester Miles, Highlands Bar & Grill, Birmingham, AL
• Ghaya Oliveira, Daniel, NYC

A working restaurateur who sets high national standards in restaurant operations and entrepreneurship. Must have been in the restaurant business for at least 10 years. Must not have been nominated for a James Beard Foundation chef award in the past five years.

• Kevin Boehm and Rob Katz, Boka Restaurant Group, Chicago (Boka, Girl & the Goat, Momotaro, and others)
• JoAnn Clevenger, Upperline, New Orleans
• Ken Oringer, Boston (Uni, Toro, Coppa, and others) Monique Siu, Portland, OR (Castagna and Café Castagna)
• Stephen Starr, Starr Restaurants, Philadelphia (Le Coucou, Serpico, Upland, and others)
• Caroline Styne, The Lucques Group, Los Angeles (Lucques, a.o.c., Tavern, and others)

Chefs who have set new or consistent standards of excellence in their respective regions. Eligible candidates may be from any kind of dining establishment and must have been working as a chef for at least five years, with the three most recent years spent in the region.

• Michael Cimarusti, Providence, Los Angeles
• Dominique Crenn, Atelier Crenn, San Francisco
• Jeremy Fox, Rustic Canyon Wine Bar and Seasonal Kitchen, Santa Monica, CA
• Corey Lee, Benu, San Francisco
• Ludo Lefebvre, Trois Mec, Los Angeles
• Travis Lett, Gjelina, Venice, CA

Radio Show/Audio Webcast

California Foodways
Host: Lisa Morehouse Producer: Lisa Morehouse
Airs on: KQED San Francisco, NPR's Weekend Edition and The Salt, and californiafoodways.com

Good Food
Host: Evan Kleiman
Producers: Abbie Fentress Swanson, Laryl Garcia, Joseph Stone, and Camellia Tse
Airs on: KCRW Santa Monica and npr.org

Hidden Kitchens: War & Peace & Food
Producers: The Kitchen Sisters: Davia Nelson and Nikki Silva
Airs on: NPR's Morning Edition and npr.org

Television Program, on Location

Chef's Table
Producers: David Gelb, Brian McGinn, Matthew Weaver, Andrew Fried, and Dane Lillegard
Airs on: Netflix

Eat the World with Emeril Lagasse
Host: Emeril Lagasse
Producers: Mike Duffy, Tim Duffy, Emeril Lagasse, and Bill Pruitt
Airs on: Amazon Prime Video and YouTube

The Mind of a Chef
Host: Ludo Lefebvre
Producers: Anthony Bourdain, Lydia Tenaglia, Chris Collins, Joe Caterini, Michael Steed, Jared Andrukanis, Gillian Brown, Morgan Fallon, and Krissy Lefebvre
Airs on: PBS and YouTube

Craig Claiborne Distinguished Restaurant Review Award

Counter Intelligence: “Destroyer Blows Up the Norm”; “Red Sauce, Royal Treatment”; “Bubbling Cauldrons of Goodness”
Jonathan Gold
Los Angeles Times

“Dinner, Transcending”; “The Future of the Steakhouse Has Arrived, and It's in Chicago”; “Is the World Ready for the Austere Beauty of Günter Seeger?”
Bill Addison
Eater

“High Chairs and Hard Core”; “The X-Files”; “Beyond Biscuits and Gravy”
Karen Brooks
Portland Monthly

75 Seats and Under

For the best restaurant design or renovation in North America since Jan. 1, 2014

Firm: AvroKO
Designers: Kristina O’Neal, William Harris, Adam Farmerie, Greg Bradshaw
Project: SingleThread, Healdsburg, California

Firm: Guga
Designer: Jeff Guga
Project: Kismet, Los Angeles

Firm: Ken Fulk Inc.
Designers: Tiffany Kramer and Jon de la Cruz
Project: Leo’s Oyster Bar, San Francisco

76 Seats and Over

For the best restaurant design or renovation in North America since Jan. 1, 2014

Firm: AvroKO
Designers: Kristina O’Neal, Adam Farmerie, Greg Bradshaw, William Harris
Project: Momotaro, Chicago

Firm: Home Studios
Designers: Evan and Oliver Haslegrave
Project: Gwen Butcher Shop & Restaurant, Los Angeles

Firm: Meyer Davis
Designers: Will Meyer, Gray Davis, Katie McPherson
Project: St. Cecilia, Atlanta

Roger Berkowitz
President and CEO, Legal Sea Foods
Boston

Suzanne Goin
Multiple James Beard Award-Winning Chef and Restaurateur, a.o.c., Lucques, and Tavern
Los Angeles

Evan Kleiman
Culinarian; Host of KCRW’s Good Food
Los Angeles

Michel Nischan
Multiple James Beard Award-Winning Chef; Founder, President, and CEO, Wholesome Wave
Bridgeport, CT

Rajat Parr
Director, Mina Group Wine; Sommelier and Author
San Francisco