The semi-finalist list is out for the 2022 James Beard Foundation Award winners, and while winners will be announced in June, the D.C. area is well represented in almost all categories.
This will be the first time in three years for traditional Beard Awards. They were scrapped in both 2020 and 2021, first because of the pandemic, and then because awards in 2021 were deemed misguided because of restaurant industry hardships in 2020.
The official in-person 2022 Restaurant and Chef Awards will be June 13 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.
Here are the local semifinalists in national categories:
- Outstanding Restauranteur: Ashok Bajaj, whose restaurants include Rasika, Bindaas and Annabelle in D.C.
- Outstanding Chef: Peter Chang, of Peter Chang restaurants in Virginia and Maryland.
- Outstanding Restaurant: Metier, D.C.
- Emerging Chef: Angel Barreto, Anju, D.C.
- Best New Restaurant: Oyster Oyster, D.C.
- Outstanding Pastry Chef: Anne Specker, Kinship, D.C.
- Outstanding Wine Program: Maydan, D.C.
- Outstanding Bar Program: minibar by Jose Andres, D.C.
And in the Best Chef, Mid-Atlantic category:
- Angel Barreto, Anju, D.C.
- Amy Brandwein, Centrolina, D.C.
- Matt Hill, Ruthie’s All-Day, Arlington.
- Peter Prime, Cane, D.C.
- Michael Rafidi, Albi, D.C.
- Yuan Tang, Rooster & Owl, D.C.
The full list of national and regional semifinalists can be found on the Beard Foundation’s website.
