The list of Restaurant and Chef semifinalists for the 2011 James Beard Foundation Awards, the nation’s recognition program honoring professionals in the food and beverage industries, recently announced is listed below.

On Monday, March 21, 2011, the James Beard Foundation will announce the final Restaurant and Chef nominees, as well as nominees in all awards categories. Stay tuned to BiteoftheBest.com for that.

BEST NEW RESTAURANT

  • ABC Kitchen, NYC
  • A-Frame, Los Angeles
  • Amis, Philadelphia
  • Bar Agricole, San Francisco
  • Barbuzzo, Philadelphia
  • Baru 66, Windsor Heights, IA
  • Benu, San Francisco
  • Bootsie’s Heritage Cafe, Tomball, TX
  • China Poblano at the Cosmopolitan, Las Vegas
  • ChoLon, Denver
  • Commonwealth, San Francisco
  • Community Table, Washington, CT
  • Cook & Brown Public House, Providence
  • Elise Coastal Dining, Pensacola, FL
  • Estadio, Washington, D.C.
  • Girl & the Goat, Chicago
  • Husk, Charleston, SC
  • Kushi Izakaya & Sushi, Washington, D.C.
  • Menton, Boston
  • Mondo, New Orleans
  • Nobuo at Teeter House, Phoenix
  • Piccolo, Minneapolis
  • Prospect, San Francisco
  • Recette, NYC
  • The Refinery, Tampa, FL
  • Salt of the Earth, Pittsburgh
  • Shepherd’s Pie, Rockport, ME
  • Staple & Fancy Mercantile, Seattle
  • Star Noodle, Lahaina, HI
  • Sugarcane Raw Bar Grill, Miami
  • Torrisi Italian Specialties, NYC
  • Uchiko, Austin, TX
  • Waterloo & City, Culver City, CA

OUTSTANDING CHEF

  • José Andrés, minibar by José Andrés, Washington, D.C.
  • Ben Barker, Magnolia Grill, Durham, NC
  • Gary Danko, Restaurant Gary Danko, San Francisco
  • Robert Del Grande, RDG + Bar Annie, Houston
  • Jose Garces, Amada, Philadelphia
  • Suzanne Goin, Lucques, Los Angeles
  • Sam Hayward, Fore Street, Portland, ME
  • Paul Kahan, Blackbird, Chicago
  • Melissa Kelly, Primo, Rockland, ME
  • Donald Link, Herbsaint, New Orleans
  • Tony Mantuano, Spiaggia, Chicago
  • Michael Mina, Michael Mina, San Francisco
  • Charles Phan, The Slanted Door, San Francisco
  • Stephan Pyles, Stephan Pyles, Dallas
  • Holly Smith, Cafe Juanita, Kirkland, WA
  • Frank Stitt, Highlands Bar and Grill, Birmingham, AL
  • Michael Symon, Lola, Cleveland
  • Jerry Traunfeld, Poppy, Seattle
  • Marc Vetri, Vetri, Philadelphia
  • Janos Wilder, Downtown Kitchen + Cocktails, Tucson, AZ

OUTSTANDING PASTRY CHEF

  • Beth Biundo, Lilette, New Orleans
  • Joanne Chang, Flour Bakery + Café, Boston
  • Melissa Chou, Aziza, San Francisco
  • Patrick Fahy, Blackbird, Chicago
  • Ken Forkish, Ken’s Artisan Bakery, Portland, OR
  • Michelle Gayer, Salty Tart Bakery, Minneapolis
  • Carla Gonçalves, KOO ZEE DOO, Philadelphia
  • Huw Griffiths, Tabard Inn, Washington, D.C.
  • Maura Kilpatrick, Oleana, Cambridge, MA
  • Yasmin Lozada-Hissom, Olivéa, Denver
  • Shuna Lydon, Peels, NYC
  • Cheryl Maffei and Jonathan Stevens, Hungry Ghost Bread, Northampton, MA
  • Lauren Mitterer, WildFlour Pastry, Charleston, SC
  • Dahlia Narvaez, Osteria Mozza, Los Angeles
  • Angela Pinkerton, Eleven Madison Park, NYC
  • Aaron Russell, Restaurant Eugene, Atlanta
  • Mindy Segal, Mindy’s HotChocolate Restaurant and Dessert Bar, Chicago
  • Philip Speer, Uchi, Austin, TX
  • Erin Stafford, Barbuzzo, Philadelphia
  • Cynthia Wong, Cakes & Ale, Decatur, GA

OUTSTANDING RESTAURANT

  • Blue Hill, NYC
  • Boulevard, San Francisco
  • Cafe Juanita, Kirkland, WA
  • Eleven Madison Park, NYC
  • Fore Street, Portland, ME
  • Herbsaint, New Orleans
  • Higgins Restaurant and Bar, Portland, OR
  • Highlands Bar and Grill, Birmingham, AL
  • La Belle Vie, Minneapolis
  • Lola, Cleveland
  • Magnolia Grill, Durham, NC
  • The Mansion Restaurant at Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek, Dallas
  • Mélisse, Santa Monica, CA
  • Palena, Washington, D.C.
  • Picasso at Bellagio, Las Vegas
  • The Slanted Door, San Francisco
  • Spiaggia, Chicago
  • Tru, Chicago
  • Vetri, Philadelphia
  • Vincent on Camelback, Phoenix

OUTSTANDING RESTAURATEUR

  • Ashok Bajaj, Knightsbridge Restaurant Group, Washington, D.C. (701, Ardeo + Bardeo, Bibiana, The Bombay Club, The Oval Room, and Rasika)
  • Tom Baron, big Burrito Restaurant Group, Pittsburgh (Casbah, Eleven, Kaya, Mad Mex, Soba, and Umi)
  • Roger Berkowitz, Legal Sea Foods, Boston (various locations)
  • Frank Bonanno, Bonanno Concepts, Denver (Bones, Green Russell, Luca D’Italia, Lou’s Food Bar, Mizuna, Osteria Marco, and Wednesday’s Pie)
  • Bruce Bromberg and Eric Bromberg, Blue Ribbon Restaurants, NYC
  • Myles Chefetz, Myles Restaurant Group, Miami Beach, FL (Big Pink, Prime Italian, Prime One Twelve, Shoji Sushi, and Nemo)
  • Michael Cordúa, Cordúa Restaurants, Houston (Amazón Grill, Américas, Artista, and Churrascos)
  • Larry D’Amico and Richard D’Amico, D’Amico & Partners, Minneapolis (Café & Bar Lurcat, Campiello, D’Amico Kitchen, D’Amico & Sons, Masa, and Parma 8200)
  • Tom Douglas, Tom Douglas Restaurants, Seattle (Dahlia Bakery, Dahlia Lounge, Etta’s, Lola, Palace Kitchen, Seatown Seabar & Rotisserie, and Serious Pie)
  • Steve Ells, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (various locations)
  • Sam Fox, Fox Restaurant Concepts, Scottsdale, AZ (The Arrogant Butcher, Blanco, Bloom, Culinary Dropout, The Greene House, Modern Steak, Montana Avenue, NoRTH, Olive & Ivy, Sauce, True Food Kitchen, Wildflower, and Zinburger)
  • Scott Harris, Chicago (Davanti Enoteca, DiSotto Enoteca, Dough Boys, Fat Rosie’s, Francesca’s, Osteria Ottimo, Purple Pig, and Salatino’s)
  • Mike Klank and Eddie Hernandez, Taqueria del Sol, Atlanta
  • Pat Kuleto, Pat Kuleto Restaurant Development & Management Company, San Francisco (Boulevard, Epic Roasthouse, Farallon, Jardinière, Martini House, Nick’s Cove, and Waterbar)
  • Richard Melman, Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, Chicago (Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba!, Eiffel Tower, Everest, L2O, Mon Ami Gabi, Shaw’s Crab House, Tru, Wow Bao, and others)
  • Nick Pihakis, Jim ‘N Nick’s Bar-B-Q, Birmingham, AL (various locations)
  • Richard Sandoval, Richard Sandoval Restaurants, NYC (Isla, Ketsi, La Biblioteca, La Biblioteca de Tequila, La Hacienda at the Fairmont Scottsdale, La Sandía, Maya, Pampano, Sandoval’s Kitchen, Tamayo, Venga Venga, and Zengo)
  • Stephen Starr, Starr Restaurants, Philadelphia (Alma de Cuba, Barclay Prime, Buddakan, Butcher and Singer, The Continental, The Continental Mid-town, The Dandelion, El Rey, El Vez, Granite Hill at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Jones, Makota, Morimoto, Parc, Pizzeria Stella, Pod, and Steak 954)
  • Phil Suarez, Suarez Restaurant Group, NYC (ABC Kitchen, Chambers Kitchen, Gigino Trattoria, J&G Steakhouse, Jean Georges, Lucy, Matsugen, Mercer Kitchen, Perry Street, Prime Steakhouse, Spice Market, and others)
  • Bill White, Bill White Enterprises, Park City, UT (Chimayo, Ghidotti’s, Grappa, Wahso, Windy Ridge Bakery, and Windy Ridge Café)

OUTSTANDING SERVICE

  • Blantyre, Lenox, MA
  • Brigtsen’s, New Orleans
  • Canlis, Seattle
  • Charleston, Baltimore
  • Charleston Grill at Charleston Place Hotel, Charleston, SC
  • The Compound, Santa Fe
  • Emeril’s, New Orleans
  • The French Room at the Adolphus Hotel, Dallas
  • La Belle Vie, Minneapolis
  • La Grenouille, NYC
  • Lacroix at the Rittenhouse Hotel, Philadelphia
  • Les Nomades, Chicago
  • L’Espalier, Boston
  • Marcel’s, Washington, D.C.
  • Michael Mina, San Francisco
  • Per Se, NYC
  • Providence, Los Angeles
  • Restaurant Eve, Alexandria, VA
  • Topolobampo, Chicago
  • Vetri, Philadelphia

OUTSTANDING WINE SERVICE

  • A16, San Francisco, Shelley Lindgren
  • Annie Gunn’s, Chesterfield, MO, Glenn Bardgett
  • Avenues at the Peninsula, Chicago, Michael Muser
  • The Biltmore, Coral Gables, FL, Yvonne Roberts
  • Blackberry Farm, Walland, TN, Andy Chabot
  • Café on the Green at Four Seasons Resort and Club Dallas at Las Colinas, Irving, TX, James Tidwell
  • Canlis, Seattle, Nelson Daquip
  • Charleston, Baltimore, Tony Foreman
  • Emeril’s, New Orleans, Ray Gumpert
  • Five and Ten, Athens, GA, Steven Grubbs
  • Frasca Food and Wine, Boulder, CO, Bobby Stuckey
  • Hatfield’s, Los Angeles, Peter Birmingham
  • The Modern, NYC, Belinda Chang
  • Patina, Los Angeles, Silvestre Fernandes
  • Picasso at Bellagio, Las Vegas, Robert Smith
  • Savona, Gulph Mills, PA, Melissa Monosoff
  • La Toque, Napa, CA, Ken Frank and Scott Tracy
  • Tarbell’s, Phoenix, Mark Tarbell
  • Tria, Philadelphia, Michael McCaulley
  • Troquet, Boston, Chris Campbell

OUTSTANDING WINE AND SPIRITS PROFESSIONAL

  • Tito Beveridge, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Austin, TX
  • Sam Calagione, Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Milton, DE
  • Ron Cooper, Del Maguey Single Village Mezcal, Ranchos de Taos, NM
  • Merry Edwards, Merry Edwards Winery, Sebastopol, CA
  • Alex Golitzin, Quilceda Creek Vintners, Snohomish, WA
  • Paul Grieco, Hearth and Terroir, NYC
  • Bobby Heugel, Anvil Bar & Refuge, Houston
  • David Hirsch, Hirsch Vineyards, Cazadero, CA
  • Charles Joly, The Drawing Room, Chicago
  • Ted Lemon, Littorai Wines, Sebastopol, CA
  • Steve McCarthy, Clear Creek Distillery, Portland, OR
  • Garrett Oliver, Brooklyn Brewery, Brooklyn, NY
  • Rajat Parr, Mina Group, San Francisco
  • Julie Reiner, Clover Club and Flatiron Lounge, NYC
  • Neal Rosenthal, Rosenthal Wine Merchant, Shekomeko, NY
  • Jorg Rupf, St. George Spirits, Alameda, CA
  • Eric Solomon, European Cellars, Charlotte, NC
  • Todd Thrasher, Restaurant Eve, Alexandria, VA
  • Julian Van Winkle III, Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery, Louisville, KY
  • David Wondrich, NYC

RISING STAR CHEF OF THE YEAR

  • Justin Aprahamian, Sanford, Milwaukee
  • Andrew Ashmore, The Greene House, Scottsdale, AZ
  • Benjamin Bailly, Fraîche, Culver City, CA
  • Sean Baker, Gather, Berkeley, CA
  • Clayton Chapman, The Grey Plume, Omaha, NE
  • Sean Ehland, Kaya, Pittsburgh
  • Eric Gabrynowicz, Restaurant North, Armonk, NY
  • Kevin Gillespie, Woodfire Grill, Atlanta
  • Will Gilson, Garden at the Cellar, Cambridge, MA
  • Sam Gorenstein, BLT Steak at the Betsy Hotel, Miami Beach, FL
  • Perry Hoffman, étoile Restaurant at Domaine Chandon, Yountville, CA
  • Casey Lane, The Tasting Kitchen, Venice, CA
  • Greg LaPrad, Quiessence, Phoenix
  • Matt Lightner, Castagna, Portland, OR
  • Aaron London, Ubuntu, Napa, CA
  • Anthony Martin, Tru, Chicago
  • Thomas McNaughton, flour + water, San Francisco
  • Paul Qui, Uchiko, Austin, TX
  • Dan Richer, Arturo’s, Maplewood, NJ
  • Gabriel Rucker, Le Pigeon, Portland, OR
  • Jonathon Sawyer, The Greenhouse Tavern, Cleveland
  • Jesse Schenker, Recette, NYC
  • Sheldon Simeon, Star Noodle, Lahaina, HI
  • Bjorn Somlo, Nudel, Lenox, MA
  • Nicholas Stefanelli, Bibiana, Washington, D.C.
  • Lee Styer, Fond, Philadelphia
  • Michael Toscano, Manzo, NYC
  • Christina Tosi, Momofuku Milk Bar, NYC
  • Sameh Wadi, Saffron Restaurant & Lounge, Minneapolis
  • Blaine Wetzel, The Willows Inn, Lummi Island, WA
  • Sue Zemanick, Gautreau’s, New Orleans

BEST CHEF: GREAT LAKES

  • Myles Anton, Trattoria Stella, Traverse City, MI
  • Zachary Bruell, L’Albatros, Cleveland
  • Aaron Butts, Joseph Decuis, Roanoke, IN
  • Michael Carlson, Schwa, Chicago
  • Craig Common, The Common Grill, Chelsea, MI
  • Curtis Duffy, Avenues at the Peninsula, Chicago
  • Dirk Flanigan, Henri, Chicago
  • David Gilbert, Forest Grill, Birmingham, MI
  • Anne Kearney, Rue Dumaine, Dayton, OH
  • Dale Levitski, Sprout, Chicago
  • Regina Mehallick, R bistro, Indianapolis
  • Chris Nugent, Les Nomades, Chicago
  • Steven J. Oakley, Oakleys bistro, Indianapolis
  • Kent Rigsby, Rigsby’s Kitchen, Columbus, OH
  • Bruce Sherman, North Pond, Chicago
  • David Tallent, Restaurant Tallent, Bloomington, IN
  • Paul Virant, Vie, Western Springs, IL
  • Eric Williams, Momocho, Cleveland
  • Magdiale Wolmark, Dragonfly Neo-V Cuisine, Columbus, OH
  • Alex Young, Zingerman’s Roadhouse, Ann Arbor, MI

BEST CHEF: MID-ATLANTIC

  • Andrew Araneo, Drew’s Bayshore Bistro, Keyport, NJ
  • Cathal Armstrong, Restaurant Eve, Alexandria, VA
  • Pierre Calmels, Bibou, Philadelphia
  • Jay Caputo, Espuma, Rehoboth Beach, DE
  • Bertrand Chemel, 2941 Restaurant, Falls Church, VA
  • Melissa Close-Hart, Palladio at Barboursville Vineyards, Barboursville, VA
  • Tony Conte, The Oval Room, Washington, D.C.
  • David Gilberg, KOO ZEE DOO, Philadelphia
  • Michael Krikorian, The Copper Canyon Restaurant, Atlantic Highlands, NJ
  • Johnny Monis, Komi, Washington, D.C.
  • Peter Pastan, Obelisk, Washington, D.C.
  • Maricel Presilla, Cucharamama, Hoboken, NJ
  • Dave Racicot, Notion, Oakmont, PA
  • Dale Reitzer, Acacia, Richmond, VA
  • Chip Roman, Blackfish, Conshohocken, PA
  • Adán Saavedra, Paloma, Philadelphia
  • John B. Shields, Town House, Chilhowie, VA
  • Michael Solomonov, Zahav, Philadelphia
  • Vikram Sunderam, Rasika, Washington, D.C.
  • Cindy Wolf, Charleston, Baltimore

BEST CHEF: MIDWEST

  • Erik Anderson, Sea Change, Minneapolis
  • Justin Aprahamian, Sanford, Milwaukee
  • Isaac Becker, 112 Eatery, Minneapolis
  • Justin Carlisle, 43 North, Madison, WI
  • Jennifer Coco, The Flatiron Cafe, Omaha, NE
  • Gerard Craft, Niche, St. Louis
  • Timothy Fischer, HoDo Restaurant at the Hotel Donaldson, Fargo, ND
  • Doug Flicker, Piccolo, Minneapolis
  • Colby Garrelts, Bluestem, Kansas City, MO
  • Jonathan Justus, Justus Drugstore, Smithville, MO
  • Russell Klein, Meritage, St. Paul, MN
  • Steve Logsdon, Lucca, Des Moines, IA
  • Tory Miller, L’Etoile, Madison, WI
  • Kevin Nashan, Sidney Street Cafe, St. Louis
  • Lenny Russo, Heartland, St. Paul, MN
  • Jason Simon, Alba, Des Moines, IA
  • Matt Steigerwald, Lincoln Café, Mt. Vernon, IA
  • Dan Van Rite, Hinterland, Milwaukee
  • Jim Webster, Wild Rice, Bayfield, WI
  • Kevin Willmann, Farmhaus, St. Louis

BEST CHEF: NEW YORK CITY

  • Michael Anthony, Gramercy Tavern
  • April Bloomfield, The Spotted Pig
  • Saul Bolton, Saul
  • Marco Canora, Hearth
  • Scott Conant, Scarpetta
  • Polo Dobkin, Dressler
  • Wylie Dufresne, wd~50
  • Gabrielle Hamilton, Prune
  • Sara Jenkins, Porchetta
  • Craig Koketsu, Park Avenue
  • Sotohiro Kosugi, Soto
  • Mark Ladner, Del Posto
  • Paul Liebrandt, Corton
  • Anita Lo, Annisa
  • George Mendes, Aldea
  • Missy Robbins, A Voce
  • Masa Takayama, Masa
  • Bill Telepan, Telepan
  • Michael White, Marea
  • Galen Zamarra, Mas (farmhouse)

BEST CHEF: NORTHEAST

  • Francesco Buitoni, Mercato, Red Hook, NY
  • Tim Cushman, o ya, Boston
  • Krista Kern Desjarlais, Bresca, Portland, ME
  • Jason Gulisano, The Green Cup, Waitsfield, VT
  • Gerry Hayden, The North Fork Table & Inn, Southold, NY
  • Brian Hill, Francine, Camden, ME
  • Matt Jennings, La Laiterie, Providence
  • Megan Chase, Penelle Chase, Phoebe Chase, and Ted LaFage, Chase’s Daily, Belfast, ME
  • Serge Madikians, Serevan, Amenia, NY
  • Evan Mallett, Black Trumpet Bistro, Portsmouth, NH
  • Tony Maws, Craigie On Main, Cambridge, MA
  • Daniel Nilsson, DA/BA, Hudson, NY
  • Peter Platt, The Old Inn On the Green, New Marlborough, MA
  • Demos Regas, Emilitsa, Portland, ME
  • Bjorn Somlo, Nudel, Lenox, MA
  • Champe Speidel, Persimmon, Bristol, RI
  • Suzanne Stack, Suzanne Fine Regional Cuisine, Lodi, NY
  • Bill Taibe, LeFarm, Westport, CT
  • Nathaniel Wade, ¡Duino! (Duende), Burlington, VT
  • Eric Warnstedt, Hen of the Wood, Waterbury, VT

BEST CHEF: NORTHWEST

  • Chris Ainsworth, Saffron Mediterranean Kitchen, Walla Walla, WA
  • Matthew Bennett, Sybaris, Albany, OR
  • Andy Blanton, Cafe Kandahar, Whitefish, MT
  • Dustan Bristol, Brick 29 Bistro, Nampa, ID
  • Seif Chirchi and Rachel Yang, Joule, Seattle
  • Matt Dillon, Sitka & Spruce, Seattle
  • Jeff Drew, Snake River Grill, Jackson Hole, WY
  • Mark Fuller, Spring Hill, Seattle
  • John Gorham, Toro Bravo, Portland, OR
  • Christopher Israel, Grüner, Portland, OR
  • Jenn Louis, Lincoln, Portland, OR
  • Paul O’Connor, Il Villaggio Osteria, Teton Village, WY
  • Andy Ricker, Pok Pok, Portland, OR
  • Daniel Roberts, Q Cuisine, Billings, MT
  • Gabriel Rucker, Le Pigeon, Portland, OR
  • Ethan Stowell, Staple & Fancy Mercantile, Seattle
  • Jason Stratton, Spinasse, Seattle
  • Ian Troxler, Lone Mountain Ranch, Big Sky, MT
  • Christopher Vane, Crush, Anchorage, AK
  • Cathy Whims, Nostrana, Portland, OR

BEST CHEF: PACIFIC

  • Josef Centeno, Lazy Ox Canteen, Los Angeles
  • Kevin Chong, Chef Mavro, Honolulu
  • Michael Cimarusti, Providence, Los Angeles
  • Josiah Citrin, Mélisse, Santa Monica, CA
  • Vinny Dotolo and Jon Shook, Animal, Los Angeles
  • Laurence Jossel, Nopa, San Francisco
  • Loretta Keller, COCO500, San Francisco
  • Andrew Kirschner, Wilshire, Santa Monica, CA
  • Chris Kobayashi, Artisan, Paso Robles, CA
  • Christopher Kostow, The Restaurant at Meadowood, St. Helena, CA
  • Mourad Lahlou, Aziza, San Francisco
  • Corey Lee, Benu, San Francisco
  • Daniel Patterson, COI, San Francisco
  • Gayle Pirie and John Clark, Foreign Cinema, San Francisco
  • Laurent Quenioux, Bistro LQ, Los Angeles
  • Richard Reddington, Redd, Yountville, CA
  • Carl Schroeder, Market, Del Mar, CA
  • John Rivera Sedlar, Rivera, Los Angeles
  • James Syhabout, Commis, Oakland, CA
  • Michael Tusk, Quince, San Francisco

BEST CHEF: SOUTH

  • Zach Bell, Café Boulud, Palm Beach, FL
  • Scott Boswell, Stella!, New Orleans
  • Aaron Burgau, Patois, New Orleans
  • Chris Dupont, Café Dupont, Birmingham, AL
  • Adolfo Garcia, RioMar, New Orleans
  • John Harris, Lilette, New Orleans
  • Chris Hastings, Hot and Hot Fish Club, Birmingham, AL
  • Scott Hunnel, Victoria & Albert’s, Lake Buena Vista, FL
  • Philip Krajeck, Fish Out of Water at WaterColor Inn & Resort, Santa Rosa Beach, FL
  • Dean James Max, 3030 Ocean at Marriott Harbor Beach Resort & Spa, Fort Lauderdale, FL
  • Tory McPhail, Commander’s Palace, New Orleans
  • James and Julie Petrakis, The Ravenous Pig, Winter Park, FL
  • Hari Pulapaka, Cress, DeLand, FL
  • Lee Richardson, Ashley’s at Capital Hotel, Little Rock, AR
  • Taylor Bowen Ricketts, Delta Bistro, Greenwood, MS
  • Philippe Ruiz, Palme d’Or at the Biltmore, Coral Gables, FL
  • David Solazzo and Torre Solazzo, Ristorante Del Porto, Covington, LA
  • Stephen Stryjewski, Cochon, New Orleans
  • Wesley True, True, Mobile, AL

BEST CHEF: SOUTHEAST

  • Hugh Acheson, Five and Ten, Athens, GA
  • Billy Allin, Cakes & Ale, Decatur, GA
  • Ashley Christensen, Poole’s, Raleigh, NC
  • Scott Crawford, Herons at the Umstead Hotel and Spa, Cary, NC
  • Craig Deihl, Cypress, Charleston, SC
  • John Fleer, Canyon Kitchen at Lonesome Valley, Cashiers, NC
  • Damian Heath, Lot 12 Public House, Berkeley Springs, WV
  • Linton Hopkins, Restaurant Eugene, Atlanta
  • Scott Howell, Nana’s, Durham, NC
  • Shane Ingram, Four Square, Durham, NC
  • Anthony Lamas, Seviche, Louisville, KY
  • Edward Lee, 610 Magnolia, Louisville, KY
  • Ouita Michel, Holly Hill Inn, Midway, KY
  • Andrea Reusing, Lantern, Chapel Hill, NC
  • Keith Rhodes, Catch, Wilmington, NC
  • Hector Santiago, Pura Vida, Atlanta
  • Chip Smith, Bonne Soirée, Chapel Hill, NC
  • Aaron Vandemark, Panciuto, Hillsborough, NC
  • Ken Vedrinski, Trattoria Lucca, Charleston, SC
  • Tandy Wilson, City House, Nashville, TN

BEST CHEF: SOUTHWEST

  • Bruce Auden, Biga on the Banks, San Antonio
  • Bertrand Bouquin, Summit at the Broadmoor, Colorado Springs, CO
  • Kevin Binkley, Binkley’s Restaurant, Cave Creek, AZ
  • Bowman Brown and Viet Pham, Forage, Salt Lake City
  • Bryan Caswell, Reef, Houston
  • Saipin Chutima, Lotus of Siam, Las Vegas
  • Tyson Cole, Uchi, Austin, TX
  • Mitsuo Endo, Aburiya Raku, Las Vegas
  • Mark Fischer, Restaurant Six89, Carbondale, CO
  • Ryan Hardy, Montagna at the Little Nell, Aspen, CO
  • Jennifer James, Jennifer James 101, Albuquerque, NM
  • Jennifer Jasinski, Rioja, Denver
  • Kelly Liken, Kelly Liken, Vail, CO
  • Armando Pomales, Café Central, El Paso, TX
  • Martín Rios, Restaurant Martín, Santa Fe, NM
  • Randy Rucker, Bootsie’s Heritage Cafe, Tomball, TX
  • Teiichi Sakurai, Tei-An, Dallas
  • Silvana Salcido Esparza, Barrio Cafe, Phoenix
  • Alex Seidel, Fruition Restaurant, Denver
  • John R. Sharpe, The Turquoise Room at La Posada Hotel, Winslow, AZ