It's officiallyaward season, and while Hollywood stars are gearing up for the red carpet,restaurantsaround the country are getting ready for theirown celebration.
TheJames Beard Awardshonor the "Dean of American cookery," a chef who hosted one of the first food programs on television in 1946.
Beard went on to establish the James Beard Cooking School, write cookbooks and inspire the next generation of American chefs.
Now, his name is synonymous with culinary excellence.
James Beard Award semifinalists in Atlanta
The semifinalists for the James Beard Awards were announced on Jan. 21, with eight Atlanta chefs and locations earning nominations.
Advertisement
The final nominees will be announced Tuesday, March 31, and the ceremony will be held in June to announce the winners.
Here are the Atlanta semifinalists:
Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker — Claudia Martinez, Bar ANA
Outstanding Hospitality — Aria
Best New Bar — Lucky Star and Madeira Park
Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service — Taurean Philpott, Avize
Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service — Miles Macquarrie, Kimball House
Best Chef: Southeast (GA, KY, NC, SC, TN, WV) — J. Trent Harris, Mujō, and Freddy Money, Atlas
"The James Beard Awards presented by Capital One represent the pinnacle of culinary recognition in the U.S. Since their inception in 1990, the Restaurant and Chef Awards have made icons out of the nation's top restaurant and bar professionals," the organization said. "Today, these semifinalists join a constellation of James Beard Award-recognized leaders who collectively embody the breadth of American culinary excellence."
Where are the recognized restaurants?
Each of the semifinalists are from a different restaurant. Here is where you can find them around Atlanta.
Bar ANA: Virginia-Highland, 939 Ponce De Leon Avenue NE, Atlanta GA 30306
Aria: Buckhead, 490 East Paces Ferry Road NE, Atlanta GA 30305
Lucky Star: Midtown, 1055 Howell Ml Rd Suite 110, Atlanta, GA 30318
Madeira Park: Druid Hills, 640 N Highland Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30306
Avize: Midtown, 956 Brady Ave NW, Atlanta, GA 30318
Kimball House: Decatur, 303 E Howard Ave, Decatur, GA 30030
Mujō: Midtown, 691 14th St NW c, Atlanta, GA 30318
Atlas: Buckhead, 88 W Paces Ferry Rd NW, Atlanta, GA 30305
Irene Wright is the Atlanta Connect reporter with USA Today's Deep South Connect team. Find her on X @IreneEWright or email her at ismith@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Which Atlanta restaurants were part of the James Beard semifinalists?
