The James Beard Foundation announced its much-anticipated list of Restaurant and Chef Award semifinalists for 2014. Washington toques and eateries scored 19 nominations out of more than 38,000 entries, qualifying in categories including Best Chef Mid-Atlantic and Best New Restaurant. The five final nominees for each category will be chosen by a panel of judges and announced on March 18; the winners will be revealed in May. Good luck to all our local contenders, listed below.
BEST NEW RESTAURANT
OUTSTANDING BAR PROGRAM
OUTSTANDING PASTRY CHEF
Tiffany MacIsaac, Birch & Barley
OUTSTANDING RESTAURANT
OUTSTANDING RESTAURATEUR
Ashok Bajaj, Knightsbridge Restaurant Group (The Bombay Club, Oval Room, and others)
Stephen Starr (not entirely local, but a Washington presence with Le Diplomate)
OUTSTANDING SERVICE
OUTSTANDING WINE PROGRAM
RISING STAR CHEF OF THE YEAR
Marjorie Meek-Bradley, Ripple
BEST CHEF: MID-ATLANTIC
Cathal Armstrong, Restaurant Eve
Anthony Chittum, Iron Gate
Haidar Karoum, Proof
Tarver King, the Restaurant at Patowmack Farm
Cedric Maupillier, Mintwood Place
Vikram Sunderam, Rasika