Taste these Northwest James Beard Award contenders
Feb 19, 2013, 4:05 PM | Updated: 5:04 pm
Renee Erickson's Seattle restaurant The Whale Wins was listed as a semifinalist in two categories of the James Beard Awards. (Image courtesy The Whale Wins)
(Image courtesy The Whale Wins)
A number of Northwest chefs and restaurants made the list of semifinalists for the prestigious James Beard Awards (like the Oscars of food). If you’re not familiar with these chefs and restaurants, it might be time for a taste.
Two Seattle restaurants were recognized multiple times on the 2013 list of award contenders. Seattle classic Canlis made the list as a semifinalist in the Outstanding Restaurant category, in the Outstanding Bar Program category, and Chef Jason Franey was also listed in the Best Chef: Northwest category.
Renee Erickson’s The Whale Wins was also recognized in two categories. Erickson received personal recognition in the Best Chef: Northwest category, and The Whale Wins was also named in the Best New Restaurant category.
Other local chefs recognized in the Best Chef: Northwest category include Nathan Lockwood of Altura, Ethan Stowell for Staple & Fancy Mercantile, Jason Stratton of Spinasse, Rachel Yang and Seif Chirchi of Joule, and Chris Ainsworth of Saffron Mediterranean Kitchen in Walla Walla.
The Eastside also boasted a number of recognized restaurants. Seastar Restaurant and Raw Bar‘s John Howie was listed in the Outstanding Restaurateur category for his Bellevue restaurant. Cafe Juanita in Kirkland also made the list in the Outstanding Service category. And Woodinville restaurant The Herbfarm, boasts a chef in the Rising Star Chef of the Year category in Chef Chris Weber.
Two other Northwest chefs listed in the rising star category include Mark Bodinet of the Copperleaf Restaurant at the Cedarbrook Lodge, and Blaine Wetzel of The Willows Inn on Lummi Island.
A few other Northwest notables that made the list include Shanik in Seattle in the Best New Restaurant category, Canon in Seattle for Outstanding Bar Program, William Leaman of Bakery Nouveau for Outstanding Pastry Chef, and Maria Hines of Tilth for Outstanding Chef.
The final list of James Beard Award nominees will be released March 18. Winners will be announced in New York in May.
