Some of Los Angeles' top chefs compete for some of the most prestigious culinary honors in the country. Each year, the James Beard Foundation Awards recognize a group of chefs, restaurateurs, beverage professionals, bakers and more. On Wednesday morning, the foundation released the list of semifinalists for 2024, the first round of nominations that will eventually culminate in an awards ceremony to be held June 10 in Chicago.
Several 2024 Los Angeles semifinalists appeared in last year's listincluding Greg Dulan of South Los Angeles' Dulan's Soul Food Kitchen, Dulan is in Crenshaw and Dulanville, who was a contender in the featured restaurateur category not only in 2023 but also in 2022.
Rashida Holmes, from the Caribbean pop-up (and soon to be a restaurant) Bridgetown Roti He was nominated in the emerging chef category last year, but this year he is a semifinalist in the featured chef category along with Santa Monica's Jeremy Fox. Birdie G's and the Rustic Canyon Family restaurant group. Also in the Rustic Canyon family is Esters Wine Bar and Wine Barwhich is it, Like last yearnominated for exceptional bar.
Husband and wife team Alessandro Zecca and Danielle Duran-Zecca combine Mexican and Italian cuisine at Amiga Amore in Highland Park.
(Stephanie Breijo / Los Angeles Times)
The year also features some new awards contenders, including Highland Park's Danielle Duran-Zecca and Alessandro Zecca. Friend Love in the emerging chefs category. Nearby, Cypress Park Santos Bar, from the restaurant group behind Found Oysters and Queen St., is the only Southern California spot in the race for best new restaurant. Thai Hollywood Pillar Luv2Eat Thai Bistro It also earned its first mention from the James Beard Foundation, in the outstanding hospitality division.
Grain-Driven Inheritance Bread Tastein Long Beach earned her first Beard Foundation recognition as California's only semi-finalist in the Featured Bakery category, while Fat & Flour's Nicole Rucker, with a stand at Grand Central Market and a new coffee shop in Culver City — is a semi-finalist in the category of outstanding pastry chef or baker. She was previously nominated at the foundation's media awards, held separately, for her 2019 cookbook. “Mottled.”
Poltergeist's Diego Argoti is a semi-finalist for best chef: California.
(Ron De Angelis/For The Times)
Several Los Angeles-area chefs are semifinalists for best chef: California, that was won last year by Justin Pichetrungsi, chef LA Times Restaurant 2022 Anajak Thai in Sherman Oaks. In 2024, Diego Argoti of Elf in Echo Park could take the honor, like Alex García and Elvia Huerta from pop-up evil cooks; Dima Habibeh amatoli in Long Beach; Jihee Kim Knob in Victor Heights; Alfonso “Poncho” Martínez de Poncho Tlayudas in the Historic Center-South; Mr. Maynard Llera of Mr. Kuya in Melrose Hill; Michael Procaccini and Stefano Procaccini of La Parolaccia in Long Beach; Alisa Reynolds My 2 cents in Mid-Wilshire; or Christian Yang of Yang's kitchen in the Alhambra.
This year, no Los Angeles-area businesses were named semifinalists in the Featured Restaurant category, or the Featured Wine or Other Beverage Programs category. Near Los Angeles County, Anaheim tiki bar Strong Water is a semifinalist for the excellent wine or other beverage program, while Tara Monsod of San Diego's Animae is nominated for best chef: California.
Nominees for the 2024 James Beard Foundation Awards will be announced in April and winners will be shared at the awards ceremony on June 10 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. You can find the full list of 2024 semi-finalists here.
