Womp-womp. We’re getting used to this: the rush of excitement when the James Beard Foundation announces the long list of chefs being considered as nominees for the annual awards, and it includes talented Orlandoans; and the letdown when the short list comes out, and it … doesn’t.
Last month, the JBF announced the Best Chef: South semifinalists, and there were four chefs from three Orlando restaurants on it – Kathleen Blake of the Rusty Spoon, Scott Hunnel of Victoria & Albert’s, and James and Julie Petrakis for the Ravenous Pig – along with a few great Miami chefs. But today, the finalists came out, and none of our guys made the cut. Oh well … there’s always next year.
Up to now, no Central Florida Chef has actually won the category, though Norman Van Aken, now a local, won it for his Miami restaurant in 1997. Below, the finalists for Best Chef: South in the 2016 JBF Awards.
Best Chef: South (AL, AR, FL, LA, MS, PR)
- Vishwesh Bhatt, Snackbar, Oxford, MS
- Justin Devillier, La Petite Grocery, New Orleans
- Jose Enrique, Jose Enrique, San Juan, PR
- Slade Rushing, Brennan’s, New Orleans
- Isaac Toups, Toups’ Meatery, New Orleans
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This article appears in Mar 9-15, 2016.
