The James Beard Foundation has released its list of semifinalists for its restaurant and chef awards.
Nominated to the list of 20 chefs vying for best in the Southeast are perennial recent candidates Linton Hopkins of Restaurant Eugene and Hugh Acheson of Five and Ten in Athens. Joining them for the first time is Billy Allin of Cakes & Ale in Decatur.
Kevin Gillespie of Woodfire Grill got a nod as “rising star” chef, Miller Union likewise for best new restaurant, and Pano Karatassos, owner of the Buckhead Life Restaurant Group, for best restaurateur. Scott Peacock of Watershed was nominated for best chef, nationally.
Judges will vote and narrow the list down to five in each category; the finalists will be announced March 22.
The full list of regional semifinalists is below. The full list is here.
BEST CHEF: SOUTHEAST
- Hugh Acheson, Five and Ten, Athens, GA
- Billy Allin, Cakes & Ale, Decatur, GA
- Sean Brock, McCrady’s, Charleston, SC
- Tyler Brown, The Capitol Grille at the …