The James Beard Foundation has announced this year’s restaurant and chef award semifinalists, and St. Louis is well-represented in among 2014 nominees.
Rick Lewis of Quincy Street Bistro was announced as a semifinalist in the Rising Star category, which recognizes chefs 30 years old or younger who “display an impressive talent and who is likely to make a significant impact on the industry in years to come.”
In another national category, Taste was nominated for Outstanding Bar Program.
In the category of Best Chef: Midwest five area chefs made the list: Gerard Craft, chef-owner of the Niche family of restaurants; Nashan, chef-owner of Sidney Street Cafe; Kevin Willmann, chef-owner of Farmhaus; Josh Galliano, executive chef at The Libertine; and Ben Poremba, chef-owner of Elaia and Olio.
While Nashan, Craft, Willmann and Galliano have all garnered James Beard Foundation award nominations before, this is Poremba’s first. We had the honor of sharing the good news with Ben Poremba (and possibly waking him up). “Dang!,” he said. “I’m very excited. It’s a big deal for me. What else do you say about something like that? I’m very honored.”
Finalists for the 2014 awards will be announced March 18; winners will be announced at a gala ceremony in New York on May 5. See a full list of restaurant and chef semifinalists here.
This article appears in February 2014.