It has been an unusual spring, but not even the coronavirus could stop the James Beard Foundation Awards from moving forward — after a slight delay. Here are the 2020 nominees in all chef, restaurant, and beverage categories. The awards themselves have been pushed back to September 25, but now more than ever is a time to celebrate the dedication of restaurant professionals doing outstanding work.
Best New Restaurant
- Fox & the Knife, Boston: Caviar | Pick-up | Gift Cards
- Gado Gado, Portland, OR: Pick-up | Gift Cards | Online Shop
- Gianna, New Orleans: Delivery | ToastTab | Donate
- Kalaya, Philadelphia
- Nightshade, Los Angeles: GoFundMe
- Pasjoli, Santa Monica, CA: ToastTab | Gift Cards
- Verjus, San Francisco: Gift Cards
Outstanding Baker
- Graison Gill, Bellegarde Bakery, New Orleans
- Zachary Golper, Bien Cuit, NYC
- Maura Kilpatrick, Sofra Bakery, Cambridge, MA
- Lisa Ludwinski, Sister Pie, Detroit
- Avery Ruzicka, Manresa Bread, Los Gatos, CA
Outstanding Bar Program
- Anvil Bar & Refuge, Houston
- Expatriate, Portland, OR
- Kimball House, Decatur, GA: Pick-up | Gift Cards | GoFundMe
- Lost Lake, Chicago: GoFundMe | Online Shop
- Trick Dog, San Francisco
Outstanding Chef
- David Kinch, Manresa, Los Gatos, CA
- Corey Lee, Benu, San Francisco
- Donald Link, Herbsaint, New Orleans: Delivery | Pick-up | ToastTab | Gift Cards | Online Shop
- Missy Robbins, Lilia, NYC: Donate | Gift Cards
- Ana Sortun, Oleana, Cambridge, MA: Gift Cards
- Marc Vetri, Vetri Cucina, Philadelphia
Outstanding Hospitality
- Brigtsen’s, New Orleans
- Canlis, Seattle
- Saison, San Francisco
- Swan Oyster Depot, San Francisco
- Zingerman’s Roadhouse, Ann Arbor, MI
Outstanding Pastry Chef
- Lincoln Carson, Bon Temps, Los Angeles
- Juan Contreras, Atelier Crenn, San Francisco: Pick-up | Gift Cards | GoFundMe
- Margarita Manzke, République, Los Angeles
- Diane Moua, Spoon and Stable, Minneapolis
- Natasha Pickowicz, Flora Bar, NYC: Gift Cards
- Miro Uskokovic, Gramercy Tavern, NYC: Donate | Gift Cards
Outstanding Restaurant
- FIG, Charleston, SC: Gift Cards | GoFundMe
- Frasca Food and Wine, Boulder, CO
- Jaleo, Washington, D.C.
- Pizzeria Bianco, Phoenix
- Quince, San Francisco
Outstanding Restaurateur
- Paul Bartolotta, The Bartolotta Restaurants, Milwaukee (Ristorante Bartolotta, Harbor House, Lake Park Bistro, and others)
- Jamie Bissonnette and Ken Oringer, JK Food Group, Boston (Little Donkey, Toro, Coppa)
- JoAnn Clevenger, Upperline Restaurant, New Orleans
- Alex Raij and Eder Montero, NYC (La Vara, Saint Julivert Fisherie, Txikito)
- Jason Wang, Xi’an Famous Foods, NYC
Outstanding Wine Program
- Bacchanal, New Orleans
- Canard, Portland, OR
- COTE, NYC
- Miller Union, Atlanta: Gift Cards
- Night + Market Sahm, Venice, CA: Gift Cards | Online Shop
- Spiaggia, Chicago
Outstanding Wine, Spirits, or Beer Producer
- Scott Blackwell and Ann Marshall, High Wire Distilling Co., Charleston, SC
- Cathy Corison, Corison Winery, St. Helena, CA
- Drew Kulsveen, Willett Distillery, Bardstown, KY
- Todd Leopold and Scott Leopold, Leopold Bros., Denver
- Lance Winters, St. George Spirits, Alameda, CA
Rising Star Chef of the Year
- Will Aghajanian and Liz Johnson, The Catbird Seat, Nashville
- Irene Li, Mei Mei, Boston
- Gaby Maeda, State Bird Provisions, San Francisco
- Ashleigh Shanti, Benne on Eagle, Asheville, NC
- Paola Velez, Kith/Kin, Washington, D.C.
- Jon Yao, Kato, Los Angeles
Best Chefs
Best Chef: California
- Jeremy Fox, Birdie G’s, Santa Monica, CA: Pick-up | Postmates | Gift Cards
- Brandon Jew, Mister Jiu’s, San Francisco: Gift Cards | GoFundMe
- Jessica Koslow, Sqirl, Los Angeles
- Mourad Lahlou, Mourad, San Francisco: Caviar | DoorDash | Gift Cards | GoFundMe | Online Shop
- Joshua Skenes, Angler, San Francisco
- Pim Techamuanvivit, Kin Khao, San Francisco: Pick-up
Best Chef: Great Lakes (IL, IN, MI, OH)
- Gene Kato, Momotaro, Chicago
- Jason Hammel, Lula Cafe, Chicago: Caviar | Gift Cards | GoFundMe | Online Shop
- Noah Sandoval, Oriole, Chicago
- John Shields and Karen Urie Shields, Smyth, Chicago
- Erick Williams, Virtue, Chicago: Pick-up | Gift Cards
- Lee Wolen, Boka, Chicago
Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic (D.C., DE, MD, NJ, PA, VA)
- Amy Brandwein, Centrolina, Washington, D.C.
- Nicholas Elmi, Laurel, Philadelphia
- Rich Landau, Vedge, Philadelphia: Gift Cards | Online Shop
- Cristina Martinez, South Philly Barbacoa, Philadelphia
- Jon Sybert, Tail Up Goat, Washington, D.C.: Gift Cards | Online Shop | Donate
- Cindy Wolf, Charleston, Baltimore
Best Chef: Midwest (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD, WI)
- Steven Brown, Tilia, Minneapolis
- Michael Corvino, Corvino Supper Club & Tasting Room, Kansas City, MO
- Michael Gallina, Vicia, St. Louis
- Jamie Malone, Grand Café, Minneapolis
- Christina Nguyen, Hai Hai, Minneapolis: Pick-up | Postmates | Gift Cards
Best Chef: Mountain (CO, ID, MT, UT, WY)
- Carrie Baird, Bar Dough, Denver
- Jen Castle and Blake Spalding, Hell’s Backbone Grill & Farm, Boulder, UT
- Jeff Drew, Snake River Grill, Jackson, WY: Gift Cards
- Caroline Glover, Annette, Aurora, CO: Gift Cards
- Dana Rodriguez, Super Mega Bien, Denver
- Kelly Whitaker, The Wolf’s Tailor, Denver
Best Chef: New York State
- Sean Gray, Momofuku Ko, NYC
- Brooks Headley, Superiority Burger, NYC
- Junghyun Park, Atomix, NYC: Caviar | Gift Cards | GoFundMe
- Daniela Soto-Innes, ATLA, NYC
- Alex Stupak, Empellón, NYC
Best Chef: Northeast (CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT)
- Vien Dobui, CÔNG TỬ BỘT, Portland, ME
- Tiffani Faison, Orfano, Boston
- Ben Jackson, Drifters Wife, Portland, ME: Pick-up | Gift Cards | GoFundMe | Online Shop
- Greg Mitchell and Chad Conley, Palace Diner, Biddeford, ME
- Cassie Piuma, Sarma, Somerville, MA: Pick-up | Gift Cards
Best Chef: Northwest & Pacific (AK, HI, OR, WA)
- Peter Cho, Han Oak, Portland, OR: Gift Cards | GoFundMe
- Gregory Gourdet, Departure, Portland, OR
- Chris Kajioka and Anthony Rush, Senia, Honolulu
- Katy Millard, Coquine, Portland, OR
- Kristen Murray, MÅURICE, Portland, OR
- Rachel Yang and Seif Chirchi, Joule, Seattle
Best Chef: South (AL, AR, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, FL, LA, MS)
- Jose Enrique, Jose Enrique, San Juan, PR
- Kristen Essig and Michael Stoltzfus, Coquette, New Orleans
- Michael Gulotta, Maypop, New Orleans
- Mason Hereford, Turkey and the Wolf, New Orleans
- Isaac Toups, Toups’ Meatery, New Orleans
Best Chef: Southeast (GA, KY, NC, SC, TN, WV)
- Katie Button, Cúrate, Asheville, NC: Gift Cards
- Cassidee Dabney, The Barn at Blackberry Farm, Walland, TN
- Cheetie Kumar, Garland, Raleigh, NC
- Andy Ticer and Michael Hudman, Andrew Michael Italian Kitchen, Memphis, TN: Pick-up
- Julia Sullivan, Henrietta Red, Nashville
Best Chef: Southwest (AZ, NM, NV, OK)
- Dan Krohmer, Other Mama, Las Vegas
- Jonathan Perno, Campo at Los Poblanos Historic Inn & Organic Farm, Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, NM
- Chrysa Robertson, Rancho Pinot, Scottsdale, AZ
- Silvana Salcido Esparza, Barrio Café Gran Reserva, Phoenix
- Jeff Smedstad, Elote Cafe, Sedona, AZ
- James Trees, Esther’s Kitchen, Las Vegas
Best Chef: Texas
- Kevin Fink, Emmer & Rye, Austin
- Michael Fojtasek, Olamaie, Austin
- Anita Jaisinghani, Pondicheri, Houston: Delivery | Pick-up | Gift Cards
- Steve McHugh, Cured, San Antonio: Gift Cards
- Trong Nguyen, Crawfish & Noodles, Houston
Design Icon
Outstanding Restaurant Design, 75 Seats and Under
- SIMPLICITY for HALL by o.d.o
- Heliotrope Architects for Rupee, Seattle
- Spoonbill Watering Hole and Restaurant, Flywheel Co. and Vermillion Architects, LLC, for Spoonbill Watering Hole and Restaurant, Lafayette, LA
Outstanding Restaurant Design, 76 Seats and Over
- Hacin + Associates for Shore Leave, Boston: Gift Cards
- Ken Fulk Inc. for Swan & Bar Bevy, Miami
- Klein Agency and ORA for auburn, Los Angeles
Outstanding Design of Alternative Eating & Drinking Places
- Lori Chemla for Carissa’s the Bakery, East Hampton, NY
- Stonehill Taylor, MCR/Morse Development and Aaron Sciandra for Connie, Queens, NY
- Studio Dewberry and Workstead for Citrus Club, Charleston, SC: Delivery | Pick-up
