Find Out Which SF Bay Area Restaurants Are James Beard Foundation Award Semifinalists

Photo Credit: Courtesy The Mina Group

We raise a glass to all of the San Francisco Bay Area restaurants and individuals named as semifinalists for a 2016 James Beard Foundation Award, announced on Feb. 17. Among those celebrating: Michelin-starred chef Michael Mina, who just announced that he is stepping down as CEO of Mina Group to focus more on the kitchen side of his conglomerate, and Cindy Pawlcyn who are both up for Outstanding Restaurateur. Down in Carmel-by-the-Sea, Aubergine at L’Auberge Carmel scored for Outstanding Service (along with Quince and Saison) while its chef Justin Cogley is one of eight culinary rock stars up for Best Chef West. Competing for Outstanding Chef are David Kinch (Manresa), Christopher Kostow (The Restaurant at Meadowood), Michael Tusk (Quince) and Nancy Oakes (Boulevard). Outstanding Restaurant semifinalists are Restaurant Gary Danko, Acquerello and Foreign Cinema. Cala and Liholiho Yacht Club are up for Best New Restaurant while Trick Dog and Bar Agricole for Best Bar Program.  And there are plenty more in the region who were recognized. You’ll find the full list below. On Tuesday, March 15, 2016, the Foundation will announce the final nominees for all award categories during a press conference at the Presidio Officers’ Club in San Francisco. The 2016 James Beard Awards Gala will be held at the Lyric Opera of Chicago on Monday, May 2.

RESTAURANT & CHEF AWARD SEMIFINALISTS FOR THE 2016 JAMES BEARD AWARDS

Best New Restaurant
Presented by True Refrigeration®
Alter, Miami
Bardot Brasserie, Las Vegas
Baroo, Los Angeles
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
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
Laura Martelli and Matthew Rosenzweig, The Flaky Tart, Atlantic Highlands, NJ
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 Chef
Presented 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 Chef
Presented 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 Restaurant
Presented 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 Service
Presented 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 Year
Presented 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: 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