CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Three Cleveland chefs were named semi-finalists for the 2023 James Beard Awards. Brandon Chrostowski of EDWINS Leadership and Restaurant Institute is a semi-finalist for Outstanding Restauranteur, nationally, for the second year in a row.
Meanwhile, chefs Allie La Valle-Umansky and Jeremy Umansky of Larder Delicatessen & Bakery are semi-finalists for Best Chef: Great Lakes.
The James Beard Awards, considered to be among the nation’s most prestigious honors, recognize exceptional talent in the culinary and food media industries, as well as a demonstrated commitment to racial and gender equity, community, sustainability, and a culture where all can thrive.
“Congratulations to all our 2023 James Beard Award Semifinalists. This is always an exhilarating moment as we kick off the awards cycle and recognize the outstanding achievements of individuals and teams across the country,” said Clare Reichenbach, CEO of the James Beard Foundation.
Chrostowski, founder, president and CEO of EDWINS, was on a train on his way to the Ukraine on a humanitarian mission when we reached him. He said he found out by text and barely made his train transfer in the excitement. “This is a national category, its solid recognition,” he says. “It’s more validation that our mission is winning.”
The mission of EDWINS Leadership & Restaurant Institute, a non-profit organization in Shaker Square, is to help formerly incarcerated adults build a foundation in the culinary and hospitality industries and foster a support network for long-term success. Chrostowski founded the institute in 2007 with the belief that every human being, regardless of their past, has a right to a fair and equal future.
What started as one fine dining restaurant has expanded into a network of culinary facilities including edwins too -- a bakery, a butcher shop and more.
Jeremy Umansky was also caught off guard that he and Allie were named semi-finalists as Best Chef: Great Lakes region. The Umanskys and their five-year-old deli in Ohio City, Larder, have previously been semi-finalists and finalists.
“In years past, something like this has been on our radar and marked on the calendar for nominee day,” he says. “We had a very busy holiday season and have a 16-month-old at home. This was completely off our radar. This morning our phone started blowing up. We were just totally shocked.”
“Things like this have great implications not only for ourselves but put a great spotlight on Cleveland and our dining scene,” he says. “We’re just excited we can do this in Cleveland. Allie and I are so happy.”
“Not do we enjoy the results for ourselves, but we have so many colleagues across the nation, seeing their names in the semi-finalist list is just as exciting,” he continues. “The recognition is great. Our goal is to provide a livelihood for our family and cook delicious food. We’re just really happy that we can be a steward to bring this attention to Cleveland.”
Finalists will be announced on Wednesday, March 29, and winners will be celebrated at the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards Ceremony on Monday, June 5, 2023, at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.
The complete list of nominees can be found at jamesbeard.org.
Paris Wolfe is a life and culture reporter for Cleveland.com. She has a special interest in food and dining. You can reach her with restaurant and food news and story ideas at pwolfe@cleveland.com. Here’s a directory of her latest posts. Follow her on Instagram @pariswolfe.
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