The Academy Awards of the culinary arts — the James Beard Awards — have announced their finalists, which include finalists from the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.
NBC DFW reported that six chefs and restaurants are finalists from the Dallas-Fort Worth area. These include two Best New Restaurant nominees, two Outstanding Bakery nominees, one Outstanding Restaurant, and One Outstanding Best Chef: Texas.
Prior to this, there were 15 Dallas-Fort Worth representatives in the semifinal. The advance to the finals saw the number of representatives reduced by more than half. Tatsu, a restaurant from Deep Ellum, made it to the semifinals but didn’t end up being a finalist.
The winners of the various categories will be announced on June 5 at the Lyric Opera in Chicago, where there will be a ceremony.
Don Artemio, a Mexican restaurant in Fort Worth, and Oak Cliff Cajun eatery Restaurant Beatrice made it to the finals of the Best Restaurant category of the James Beard Awards.
Outside of DFW, there are six restaurants from Texas that are in the national category, such as Tatemó from Houston.
Outstanding Bakery had two finalists from the DFW area: La Casita Bakeshop of Richardson and Kuluntu Bakery of Dallas.
The recognition of the James Beard Awards is a special thank-you to chefs and restaurants following a tumultuous time for the U.S. food service industry, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It was a horrible last few years, and it was very difficult for restaurants and we all did the best we could. And I think we’re all kind of shell-shocked and grateful to still be here,” Jennifer Uygur said to CNN. Uygur is a co-owner of Lucia in Dallas, and Lucia is a nominee for Outstanding Restaurant. “I think the coolest thing about this one [award] is that it’s for Outstanding Restaurant, and it’s the whole team … we can’t do it without front of the house, back of the house, everybody, to make the whole experience.”