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The praise for Philly’s food scene just keeps on coming.
It’s only been two months since local restaurants snagged their first Michelin Stars, and now the latest round of James Beard Award semifinalists includes a dozen of Philly’s own chefs and restaurants as contenders for what is essentially the food world’s Oscars.
The list includes repeat honorees, as well as several newcomers.
In the Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic category alone, veterans include Jesse Ito of Royal Sushi & Izakaya, Amanda Shulman of Her Place Supper Club, and Omar Tate and Cybille St. Aude-Tate of West Philly’s Honeysuckle.
Other local chefs up for the nod include Ian Graye of newly minted Michelin Green Star restaurant Pietramala and Randy Rucker of Little Water. Regional chefs Russ Cowan of Cherry Hill’s Radin’s Delicatessen and Asbury Park’s Judy & Harry’s made the cut, too.
The 2017 Beard Award Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic winner, Greg Vernick, is now up for Outstanding Restaurateur, while 2023 Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic winner Chutatip “Nok” Suntaranon’s Michelin-recommended Kalaya is up for Outstanding Restaurant.
Also, keep an eye out for and grab a seat at this trio of Kensington rising stars: Emerging Chef semifinalist Frankie Ramirez of Amá, Best New Restaurant semifinalist Emmett, and Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker semifinalist Justine MacNeil of Fiore.
And whet your whistle at Friday Saturday Sunday’s Lovers Bar in Rittenhouse, which is up for Outstanding Bar, and Almanac in Old City, which is up for Best New Bar.
Stay tuned for who will make it as a finalist on March 31, and then who triumphs as winners on June 15.
