A bunch of latest names within the Seattle-area restaurant world — together with two from the Eastside — are up for main prizes.
On Wednesday, January 22, the James Beard Basis named 14 native cooks, bars, and eating places as semifinalists for the James Beard Awards. These are essentially the most prestigious culinary prizes within the nation, and even making the longlist is a giant deal.
Among the many semifinalists are some acquainted names. As soon as once more Yenvy and Quynh Pham, the sisters behind Pho Bac, the Boat, and Phocific Customary Time, are within the Excellent Restaurateur class (the place they had been finalists in 2024 and 2023). The Filipino nice eating restaurant Archipelago, whose co-owner Aaron Verzosa has been a finalist within the regional Finest Chef: Northwest and Pacific class, is now a semifinalist for Excellent Hospitality. Pancita’s Janet Becerra was a finalist within the Rising Chef class final yr, and this yr she’s up for Finest Chef: Northwest and Pacific. Logan Cox of Homer has been a two-time semifinalist in that class and this yr he’s up for it once more. Jay Blackinton of Orcas Island’s Houlme has been acknowledged by the Beards for his work at earlier eating places, and he joins Cox and Becerra within the Northwest regional class. In 2023, the bar Rob Roy was nominated for its Excellent Bar Program, and this yr proprietor Anu Apte is a semifinalist within the model new Excellent Skilled in Cocktail Service class.
However the thrilling half right here is what number of first-time semifinalists there are from Seattle. Atoma and Familyfriend (each Eater Award winners final yr) are up for Finest New Restaurant. Yasuaki Saito’s acclaimed Saint Bread acquired a nod for Finest Bakery. The Capitol Hill omakaase vacation spot Ltd Version Sushi is a semifinalist for Excellent Wine and Different Drinks Program presumably on the power of its sake sport. Sophon (one other Eater Award Winner) is up for Finest New Bar. Linda Milagros Violago, the pinnacle of wine service at famed restaurant Canlis, is a semifinalist in Excellent Skilled in Beverage Service, one other new class.
The Finest Chef: Northwest and Pacific class is one the place Seattle-area cooks are ceaselessly acknowledged, and this yr was no exception. Along with Cox, Blackinton, and Becerra, Canlis’s Aisha Ibrahim is a semifinalist within the class (Ibrahim is so revered it’s stunning that that is her first time getting Beard recognition). There’s additionally a pair of first-time semifinalists from the Eastside: Jun Takai of Takai by Kashiba in Bellevue and Ajay Panicker of Kirkland’s Kathakali. That’s recognition the eating scene on that aspect of Lake Washington is rising in significance.
Finalists in these classes will probably be introduced on April 2, and the winners will obtain their awards at a ceremony on June 16 in Chicago.
The complete checklist is under.
Excellent Restaurateur
- Quynh and Yenvy Pham, Pho Bac, the Boat, Phocific Customary Time
Finest New Restaurant
Excellent Bakery
Excellent Hospitality
Finest New Bar
Excellent Skilled in Beverage Service
- Linda Milagros Violago, Canlis
Excellent Skilled in Cocktail Service
Finest Chef: Northwest & Pacific
- Janet Becerra, Pancita
- Jay Blackinton, Houlme (Orcas Island)
- Logan Cox, Homer
- Aisha Ibrahim, Canlis
- Ajay Panicker, Kathakali, An Indian Eatery (Kirkland)
- Jun Takai, Takai by Kashiba (Bellevue)
Disclosure: Some Vox Media workers members are a part of the voting physique for the James Beard Awards.
Further photograph illustration credit: Getty Photographs for the James Beard Basis
