James Beard Foundation, Award Nominees, Chefs, Best Chefs, Regional, Where to take a visiting chef, Chef’s Favorite Restaurants, Local Restaurants, Where to eat, Where to drink, Insider Recommendations, Great Lakes, Stephanie Izard, Chicago, IL, Illinois, Mid-Atlantic, Peter Pastan, Obelisk, Washington, DC, New YOrk City, NYC, NY, Mark Ladner, Del Posto, Michael White, Marea, Michael Anthony, Gramercy Tavern, Southeast, Hugh Acheson, Five And Ten, Craig Deihl, Cypress, South Carolina, Charleston, SC, Linton Hopkins, Atlanta, GA, Holeman And Finch, Edward Lee, 610 Magnolia, Louisville, KY, Kentucky, Hugo Ortega, Houston, TX, Texas, Tim Cushman, O Ya, Boston, MA, Massachusetts, Matt Jennings, Farmstead, La Laiterie, Providence, RI, Rhode Island, Jamie Bissonnette, Coppa, Boston, Lenny Russo, Heartland, St. Paul. MN, Minnesota, Matt Dillon, Sitka & Spruce, Seattle, WA, Washington, Jason Franey, Canlis
Photographs courtesy of Staple & Fancy | FIG | Maialino
If there is one honor chefs get giddy about, it's the James Beard Foundation Awards. Deemed the culinary world's equivalent of the Oscars, the awards will be given out on Monday, May 7th. The chefs listed below are all final nominees for the coveted Best Chef Award for their region.
We asked this select group of highly-recognized chefs where they would take a visiting chef to eat in their hometowns.
Chefs’ Recs | James Beard Foundation Nominated Chefs
May 6, 2012
Where They Eat In Their HomeTowns
Article
Recommender
Avec, Blackbird and Publican in Chicago, IL
Chicago Recommendation
Photo Credit: Nick Sherman [flickr]
“It's a teeny place with amazing pizza. They're super nice people and it's relaxing and unpretentious. I would order pizza - they're all great.”
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Recommender
Peter Pastan
Obelisk in Washington, DC
Washington, DC Recommendation
Photograph courtesy of: The Standard
“You can sit outside, order a brisket or pulled pork sandwich, fried pickles, and some onion rings. Everybody sits at long picnic tables and people are actually friendly to strangers, something unheard of in Washington DC. A few cold draft beers and the world is a fine place.”
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Recommender
Del Posto in New York, NY
New York City Recommendation
Photo Credit: Find. Eat. Drink.
“Andy Ricker's Pokpok NY, because he's doing the most laser-beam delicious food in town right now! Get the Het Paa Naam Tok, which gives hope to gluten-free vegans everywhere.”
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Recommender
Gramercy Tavern in New York, NY
New York City Recommendation
Photograph courtesy of: Maialino
“For real-deal Italian food.”
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Recommender
Marea in New York, NY
New York City Recommendation
Photo Credit: Krista [flickr]
“For #1 Duck Kra Prow (spicy crisp duck, garlic, onion).”
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Recommender
Five and Ten in Athens, GA
Athens Recommendations
Photograph courtesy of: Peaches
“For a Cuban sandwich.”
Peaches
“For a good meat n’ three experience.”
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Recommender
Holeman & Finch and Restaurant Eugene in Atlanta, GA
Atlanta Recommendation
Photograph courtesy of: JCT Kitchen
“It’s open and airy and wonderful for lunch. You can get a great chicken salad sandwich, they have a great burger and beautiful deviled eggs with country ham all over them. They are just delicious. They’ve got a good bar upstairs with great drinks.”
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Recommender
610 Magnolia in Louisville, KY
Louisville Recommendation
Photo Credit: Jessica Fey Photography
“A great beer bar with creative bar food.”
Pho Bin Min
“For Vietnamese.”
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Recommender
Hugo's Houston in Houston, TX
“Houston is exploding with chef talent these days. It’s exciting to be here.”
Athens Recommendations
Photograph courtesy of: Oxheart
“Especially for chef-owner Roberto Castre’s incredible selection of Peruvian ceviches and tiraditios.”
Oxheart
“A new restaurant that is very small and out of the way. Chef Justin Yu has a way with vegetables and he only offers tasting menus, which change daily. They emphasize local products. Seats 30, so reservations are necessary.”
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Recommender
o ya in Boston, MA
Boston Recommendation
Photograph courtesy of: Red Wing Diner
“It’s a great little New England gem. They have great clam chowder and when they have the big belly fried clams, they are a must. I used to go there with my family when I was a kid and I've been going there for 50 or more years since. It opened in 1932 and the bar is in an old diner car. The wood on the bar is worn with elbow marks at each stool.”
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Recommender
Farmstead and La Laiterie in Providence, RI
Providence Recommendation
“Sourced from local Rhode Island farms, created by a chef who lives and breathes all things Rhode Island, and cooked by a team of Johnson & Wales interns, it couldn’t really get any more Ocean State than this. It’swell worth the trip to find this out of the way, Rhode Island gem.”
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Recommender
Coppa in Boston, MA
Boston Recommendation
Photograph courtesy of: Gourmet Dumpling House
“This is my go-to. The tripe tongue and tendon salad. The soup dumpling are great. Whole fish, crab, braised pork shank with bok choy. All the food is made with such care, and love. The best choice for offal in Chinatown.”
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Recommender
Heartland of St. Paul, MA
“We are the Twin Cities, so here is a place in St. Paul and Minneapolis.”
Twin Cities Recommendation
Photograph courtesy of: Meritage
“In St. Paul, go to Meritage and sit at the oyster bar. All of the oysters are flown in direct from the producers. Sample the whole list with a side of French fries with béarnaise sauce and a few of St. Paul's very own Summit Pale Ale.”
Piccolo
“Order the whole menu. The menu is comprised of small plates, so whenever I go, I just tell the server to bring one of everything. They also have one of the most well-chosen wine lists in town, so we would be availing ourselves of that.”
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Recommender
Niche in St. Louis, MO
St. Louis Recommendation
Photograph courtesy of: Pappy’s
“For ribs. It is life changing.”
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Recommender
Sitka & Spruce in Seattle, WA
Seattle Recommendation
Photograph courtesy of: Maneki
“It’s the oldest restaurant in Seattle, a Japanese restaurant. It happens to be my favorite place to eat. I really like the Black Cod Collar cooked in miso.”
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Recommender
Canlis in Seattle, WA
Seattle Recommendation
Photograph courtesy of: Staple & Fancy
“It's a great combo of atmosphere (fun and busy) and incredible food. The tasting menu is the best deal in town and it's fresh, local, and delicious. Best case scenario is grabbing dinner there and then finishing with a cold Rainier beer with chef Ethan afterwards. A perfect night.”
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Girl & The Goat in Chicago, IL
Chicago Recommendation
Photograph courtesy of: Avec
“They have this truffled cheese flatbread ["Deluxe" Focaccia with Taleggio Cheese, Ricotta, Truffle Oil and Fresh Herbs]. It’s way too big for two people to eat, but you order it and that’s how you end up making friends with the people next to you.”
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Recommender
WD-50 in New York, NY
New York City Recommendation
Photo Credit: Find. Eat. Drink.
“For a Corned beef sandwich, thinly sliced from the fat side with a Cel-Ray soda.”
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Recommender
Hot and Hot Fish Club in Birmingham, AL
Athens Recommendations
Photograph courtesy of: The Spring House
“Chef Rob McDaniel does farm to table, with daily menu changes. The daily menus feature meat and produce of the place, and of the time - a snapshot of a day in the season. His dishes are exciting and dynamic. This is local cuisine served in a rustic, casual elegance. The building is made of stone, rough-hewn beams and hand-forged iron work with an open kitchen and a wood fired oven. Many of our customers have a second home at Lake Martin.”
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