9 Michigan chefs and restaurants named James Beard semifinalists

Feb 28, 2019 at 10:19 am

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Tom Perkins

Corn dog rillette at Lady Of the House.

Nine Michigan chefs and restaurants are among this year's semi-finalists for James Beard Foundation awards. That follows a year in which only three Mitten state restaurants and chefs were nominated.

Five Michigan chefs are up for Best Chef: Great Lakes, including Anthony Lombardo (SheWolf), Norberto Garita (El Barzon), Kate Williams (Lady of the House), James Rigato (Mabel Gray), and Genevieve Vang (Bangkok 96).

Selden Standard’s pastry chef Lena Sareini was nominated for the second year in a row in the Rising Star Chef of the Year category, which recognizes talented chefs under the age of 30. Meaty Detroit restaurant Marrow was nominated in the Best New Restaurant category.

For a third year in a row, Lisa Ludwinski of Sister Pie up for the Outstanding Baker category, and for a second straight year Zingerman’s Roadhouse in Ann Arbor is in the mix for Outstanding Service.

Which restaurants or chefs were snubbed that might have deserved a nomination? It's hard to believe one-time Standard Bistro & Larder chef Alex Young, who won a 2011 James Beard Award for Best Chef In The Midwest, was left off the list.

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