The James Beard Foundation has announced the finalists for its restaurant and chef awards in 2023, and there are several Boston and greater New England chefs and restaurants in the running for the prestigious awards. We spoke with a few of the nominees and got the details on which restaurants are nominated so you can make a reservation for this weekend.
Which chefs and restaurants in Boston were nominated for a James Beard Award?
On the national level, Nightshade Noodle Bar’s Rachel Miller is nominated for Outstanding Chef, against just four others, and she’s the only New England chef in what is arguably the most impactful category.
Miller is the chef and owner of the female-forward kitchen in Lynn, which first started as a pop-up venture before becoming a brick-and-mortar establishment in 2019.
Best Chef: Northeast also saw Valentine Howell of Greek restaurant Krasi in the Back Bay and Yisha Siu of Chinese restaurant Yunnan Kitchen in the South End as finalists.
How are the Boston chefs reacting?
Siu told us when we asked her what the nomination meant for her, and the restaurant, “Have to love what you do. And be proud of what you love. I just want to share what I love the most, which is my hometown cuisine!”
Howell is equally thrilled, telling Time Out, “I am beyond excited and proud not only of myself but my team here. This means so much to me and something that I've always dreamt about and paid attention to throughout the years in my career.”
He added that it’s not just a win for him, but for the restaurant and Boston, saying “This is also huge for the restaurant and the team as a whole. I knew before we opened that we would do amazing things and that we had the real potential of becoming one of Boston's, if not the state's, best restaurants.”
The other finalists for the Northeast (in case you want to take a road trip) are Christian Hunter, Community Table, New Preston, CT, Sherry Pocknett, Sly Fox Den Too, Charlestown, RI and Renee Touponce, The Port of Call, Mystic, CT.
What are the James Beard Awards?
Established in 1990, the James Beard Awards are among the nation’s most prestigious honors recognizing leaders in the culinary industries. The awards, according to the James Beard Foundation, recognize exceptional talent and achievement in the culinary arts, hospitality and broader food system.
When will the winners of the James Beard Awards be announced?
The winners will be announced in an awards ceremony in Chicago on Monday, June 5. You can see all of the finalists on the JBF website.