Niven Patel, a past Beard semifinalist, was recognized this year for his Alpareno Restaurant Group, along with partner Mohamed Ali Alkassar in the Outstanding Restaurateur category. Together, they own and operate Ghee Indian Kitchen, Orno, and Mamey.
The Beard Foundation recognized some of Miami's longstanding culinary talent with Ariete (Outstanding Restaurant), Michael Schwartz (Outstanding Chef), Zak the Baker (Outstanding Bakery), Macchialina (Outstanding Wine Program), Cafe la Trova (Outstanding Bar), and Manuel and Jesús Brazón, Caracas Bakery (Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker) getting nods.
Rosie's Akino West is Miami's breakout chef, with the Beard Foundation naming him a semifinalist in the "Emerging Chef" category.
Finally, South Florida has several chefs nominated for the "Best Chef: South" category including Timon Balloo (the Katherine, Fort Lauderdale); Jeremy and Cindy Bearman (Oceano Kitchen, Lantana); Fernando, Nando and Valerie Chang (Itamae, Miami); Rick Mace (Tropical Smokehouse, West Palm Beach); Pushkar Marathe (Stage, Palm Beach Gardens); and Lojo Washington (Queen of Sheeba, West Palm Beach).
The Beard awards have gone through some changes over the past few years. Last year, the foundation re-examined its policies to "remove bias, increase transparency and accessibility, and make the program more aligned with the Foundation's mission and values."
This year, the Beard Foundation combined the "Outstanding Pastry Chef" and "Outstanding Baker" awards and added an "Outstanding Bakery" category. In addition, the "Outstanding Bar" category has been opened to include any establishment that serves beverages — including coffee bars, beer bars, and non-alcoholic bars predominantly.
Below is a list of semifinalists in categories populated by South Floridians, with locals rendered in boldface (you can see the full list here):
Outstanding Restaurateur
- Mohamed Ali Alkassar and Niven Patel, Alpareno Restaurant Group (Ghee Indian Kitchen, Orno, and Mamey), Miami, FL
- Brandon Chrostowski, Edwins Leadership and Restaurant Institute, Cleveland, OH
- Krista Cole, Sur Lie and Gather Restaurant, Portland, ME
- Greg Dulan, Dulan's Soul Food Kitchen, Dulan's on Crenshaw, and Dulanville, Los Angeles, CA
- Laile Fairbairn, Locally Grown Restaurants, Anchorage, AK
- Sims and Kirsten Harlow Foster, Foster Supply Hospitality, New York, NY
- Aaron Hoskins, Sarah Simmons, Nicole Storey, and Elie Yigo, City Grit Hospitality Group, Columbia, SC
- Yuka Loroi and Kris Toliao, Cassava, San Francisco, CA
- Michael and Tara Gallina and Aaron Martinez, Take Root Hospitality, St. Louis, MO
- Clinton Gray, Derrick Moore, and Emanuel Reed, Slim & Husky's Pizza Beeria, Nashville, TN
- Johnna Hayes and Debra Zinke, 3 Sirens Restaurant Group, Tulsa, OK
- Amy and Jason Kerstein, Joe Muench, and Dan Snider, Black Shoe Hospitality, Milwaukee, WI
- Sandy Levine, Freya, Chartreuse, and the Oakland, Detroit, MI
- Albert McDonald, the Mint, Pizza Campania, and Backcountry Burger Bar, Bozeman, MT
- Yenvy and Quynh Pham, Phở Bắc Sup Shop, Phởcific Standard Time, and the Boat, Seattle, WA
- Michael Reginbogin and Jason Berry, KNEAD Hospitality + Design, Washington, D.C.
- Jimmy and Johnny Tung, Bento Asian Kitchen + Sushi, Doshi, and Camille, Orlando, FL
- Kelly Whitaker, Id Est Hospitality Group (Basta, the Wolf's Tailor, and BRUTØ), Boulder, CO
- Chris Williams, Lucille's Hospitality Group, Houston, TX
- Ellen Yin, High Street Hospitality Group, Philadelphia, PA
- Junior Borges, Meridian, Dallas, TX
- Nina Compton, Compère Lapin, New Orleans, LA
- Greg Collier, Leah & Louise, Charlotte, NC
- Renee Erickson, the Walrus and the Carpenter, Seattle, WA
- Shigeru Fukuyoshi, Sagami, Collingswood, NJ
- Christine Ha and Tony J. Nguyen, Xin Chào, Houston, TX
- Andrew Le, The Pig and the Lady, Honolulu, HI
- Johnny Leach, the Town Company, Kansas City, MO
- Rachel Miller, Nightshade Noodle Bar, Lynn, MA
- Eder Montero and Alex Raij, La Vara, Brooklyn, NY
- David Nayfeld, Che Fico, San Francisco, CA
- Niki Nakayama, n/naka, Los Angeles, CA
- Josh Niernberg, Bin 707 Foodbar, Grand Junction, CO
- Erik Ramirez, Llama Inn, Brooklyn, NY
- Dana Rodriguez, Super Mega Bien, Denver, CO
- Rob Rubba, Oyster Oyster, Washington, D.C.
- Silvana Salcido Esparza, Barrio Café, Phoenix, AZ
- Hajime Sato, Sozai, Clawson, MI
- Michael Schwartz, Michael's Genuine Food & Drink, Miami, FL
- David Vargas, Vida Cantina, Portsmouth, NH
- Ariete, Miami, FL
- Brennan's, New Orleans, LA
- Cassia, Santa Monica, CA
- La Condesa, Austin, TX
- Copine, Seattle, WA
- Cora Cora, West Hartford, CT
- Friday Saturday Sunday, Philadelphia, PA
- The Grey, Savannah, GA
- Hell's Backbone Grill & Farm, Boulder, UT
- Lucia, Dallas, TX
- Mita's, Cincinnati, OH
- Mourad, San Francisco, CA
- Pagu, Cambridge, MA
- Proper Meats + Provisions, Flagstaff, AZ
- RIS, Washington, D.C.
- Red Rose Restaurant, Lowell, MA
- Smyth, Chicago, IL
- Veselka, New York, NY
- Via Carota, New York, NY
- Wickman House, Ellison Bay, WI
- Kane Adkisson, kanō, Omaha, NE
- Bernard Bennett, Ọkàn, Bluffton, SC
- Damarr Brown, Virtue, Chicago, IL
- Victoria Elizondo, Cochinita & Co., Houston, TX
- Julio Hernandez, Maiz de la Vida, Nashville, TN
- Jamie Hoang, Ahan, Madison, WI
- Rashida Holmes, Bridgetown Roti, Los Angeles, CA
- Jennifer Hwa Dobbertin, Best Quality Daughter, San Antonio, TX
- Telly Justice, HAGS, New York, NY
- Vinh Le, Cicada Coffee Bar, Cambridge, MA
- Amado Lopez, Casa Amado Taqueria, Berkley, MI
- Christian Lowe, Shift Kitchen & Bar, Flagstaff, AZ
- Serigne Mbaye, Dakar NOLA, New Orleans, LA
- Vincent Medina and Louis Trevino, Cafe Ohlone, Berkeley, CA
- Charlie Mitchell, Clover Hill, New York, NY
- Bo Porytko, Misfit SnackBar, Denver, CO
- Amanda Shulman, Her Place Supper Club, Philadelphia, PA
- Kevin Smith, Beast & Cleaver, Seattle, WA
- Elias Taddesse, Mélange, Washington, D.C.
- Akino West, Rosie's, Miami, FL
- Angelo Brocato, New Orleans, LA
- Breadshop, Honolulu, HI
- Buena Gente Cuban Bakery, Decatur, GA
- La Casita Bakeshop, Richardson, TX
- Denise's Delicacies, Philadelphia, PA
- Friends & Family, Los Angeles, CA
- Fujiya Hawai'i, Honolulu, HI
- Good Cakes and Bakes, Detroit, MI
- Grist Milling & Bakery, Missoula, MT
- Haymaker Bun Company, Middlebury, VT
- JL Patisserie, Phoenix and Scottsdale, AZ
- Kuluntu Bakery, Dallas, TX
- La Patisserie Chouquette, St. Louis, MO
- Mighty Bread Co., Philadelphia, PA
- Normal Ice Cream, Salt Lake City, UT
- She Wolf Bakery, New York, NY
- Unforgettable Bakery & Cafe, Savannah, GA
- Yasukochi's Sweet Stop, San Francisco, CA
- Yoli Tortilleria, Kansas City, MO
- Zak the Baker, Miami, FL
- Veronika Baukema, Veronika's Pastry Shop, Billings, MT
- Manuel and Jesús Brazón, Caracas Bakery, Doral, FL
- Vince Bugtong, Viridian, Oakland, CA
- Mariela Camacho, Comadre Panadería, Austin, TX
- Ismael de Sousa, Reunion Bread Co, Denver, CO
- Nora Faye Allen, Mel the Bakery, New York, NY
- Atsuko Fujimoto, Norimoto Bakery, Portland, ME
- Andrew Hutchison, Madison Sourdough, Madison, WI
- Michelle Karr-Ueoka, MW Restaurant, Honolulu, HI
- Crystal Kass, Valentine, Phoenix, AZ
- Margarita Manzke, République, Los Angeles, CA
- Noelle Marchetti, Yolan, Nashville, TN
- Shawn McKenzie, Café Cerés, Minneapolis, MN
- Camari Mick, The Musket Room, New York, NY
- Anne Ng, Bakery Lorraine, San Antonio, TX
- Kareem Queeman, Mr. Bake, Riverdale, MD
- Emily Riddell, Machine Shop, Philadelphia, PA
- Phillip Ashley Rix, Phillip Ashley Chocolates, Memphis, TN
- Elaine Uykimpang Bentz, Café Mochiko, Cincinnati, OH
- Amanda Wildermuth, Honey Road, Burlington, VT
- All Together Now, Chicago, IL
- Commander's Palace, New Orleans, LA
- Cote, New York, NY
- Flight Wine Bar, Washington, D.C.
- Foam Brewers, Burlington, VT
- Frida Southwest, Oklahoma City, OK
- Glai Baan, Phoenix, AZ
- Hiyu Wine Farm, Hood River, OR
- Lazy Bear, San Francisco, CA
- Lyla Lila, Atlanta, GA
- Macchialina, Miami Beach, FL
- Monk's Cafe, Philadelphia, PA
- Nancy's Hustle, Houston, TX
- OK Omens, Portland, OR
- Ototo, Los Angeles, CA
- Rebel Rebel, Somerville, MA
- Spencer, Ann Arbor, MI
- Suerte, Austin, TX
- Sunday Vinyl, Denver, CO
- Waxlight Bar à Vin, Buffalo, NY
- Allegory, Washington, D.C.
- American Solera, Tulsa, OK
- Bar Leather Apron, Honolulu, HI
- Cafe La Trova, Miami, FL
- Dante, New York, NY
- Drastic Measures, Shawnee, KS
- Esters Wine Shop & Bar, Santa Monica, CA
- Garagiste, Las Vegas, NV
- The Gin Room, St. Louis, MO
- Harlem Hops, New York, NY
- The Jewel Box, Portland, ME
- Kingfisher, Durham, NC
- Las Ramblas, Brownsville, TX
- Le Caveau, Philadelphia, PA
- Post Office Place, Salt Lake City, UT
- Rob Roy, Seattle, WA
- Salud Cerveceria, Charlotte, NC
- Scratch Brewing Company, Ava, IL
- Trick Dog, San Francisco, CA
- Weathered Souls Brewing Company, San Antonio, TX
- Blake Aguillard and Trey Smith, Saint-Germain, New Orleans, LA
- Timon Balloo, the Katherine, Fort Lauderdale, FL
- Jeremy and Cindy Bearman, Oceano Kitchen, Lantana, FL
- Ana Castro, Lengua Madre, New Orleans, LA
- Fernando, Nando, and Valerie Chang, Itamae, Miami, FL
- Hunter Evans, Elvie's, Jackson, MS
- Francis Guzmán, Vianda, San Juan, PR
- Amarys and Jordan Herndon, Palm & Pine, New Orleans, LA
- Timothy Hontzas, Johnny's Restaurant, Homewood, AL
- Alex Perry and Kumi Omori, Vestige, Ocean Springs, MS
- Rick Mace, Tropical Smokehouse, West Palm Beach, FL
- Melissa M. Martin, Mosquito Supper Club, New Orleans, LA
- Pushkar Marathe, Stage, Palm Beach Gardens, FL
- Henry Moso, Kabooki Sushi, Orlando, FL
- Charly Pierre, Fritai, New Orleans, LA
- Colleen Quarls and Liz Hollinger, Molly's Rise and Shine, New Orleans, LA
- Rafael Rios, Yeyo's El Alma de Mexico, Bentonville, AR
- Michael Stoltzfus, Coquette, New Orleans, LA
- Natalia Vallejo, Cocina al Fondo, San Juan, PR
- Lojo Washington, Queen of Sheeba, West Palm Beach, FL
