The James Beard Foundation has announced its 2022 Restaurant and Chef Awards semifinalists in advance of the returning James Beard Awards. Winners will be celebrated at the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards ceremony on Monday, June 13 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.
In both the Outstanding Baker and Outstanding Pastry Chef categories, 20 semifinalists have been chosen. Among them are:
Outstanding Baker
- David Cáceres, La Panadería, San Antonio, TX
- Maya-Camille Broussard, Justice of the Pies, Chicago
- Atsuko Fujimoto, Norimoto Bakery, Portland, ME
- Susannah Gebhart, Old World Levain (OWL) Bakery, Asheville, NC
- Marissa and Mark Gencarelli, Yoli Tortilleria, Kansas City, MO
- Joseph, Archalous, and Caroline Geragosian, Old Sasoon Bakery, Pasadena, CA
- Don Guerra, Barrio Bread, Tucson, AZ
- Aaron Hall, The Local Crumb, Mount Vernon, IA
- Mike Hirao, Nisshodo Candy Store, Honolulu
- Clement Hsu, Katherine Campecino-Wong, and James Wong, Breadbelly, San Francisco
- Nobutoshi “Nobu” Mizushima and Yuko Kawashiwo, Ihatov Bread and Coffee, Albuquerque, NM
- Evette Rahman, Sister Honey's, Orlando, FL
- Rhonda Saltzman and Mercedes Brooks, Second Daughter Baking Co., Philadelphia
- Caroline Schweitzer and Lauren Heemstra, Wild Crumb, Bozeman, MT
- Khatera Shams, Sunshine Spice Bakery & Cafe, Boise, ID
- Zak Stern, Zak the Baker, Miami
- Elaine Townsend, Café Mochiko, Cincinnati, OH
- Maricsa Trejo, La Casita Bakeshop, Richardson, TX
- Louis Volle, Lodi, NYC
- Pamela Vuong, The Flour Box, Seattle
Outstanding Pastry Chef
- Antonio Bachour, Bachour, Coral Gables and Doral, FL
- Nicolas Blouin, Destination Kohler, Kohler, WI
- Warda Bouguettaya, Warda Pâtisserie, Detroit
- Mark Chacón, Chacónne Patisserie, Phoenix
- Angela Cicala, Cicala at the Divine Lorraine, Philadelphia
- Kate Fisher Hamm, Leeward, Portland, ME
- Michelle Karr-Ueoka, MW Restaurant, Honolulu
- Margarita Manzke, République, Los Angeles
- Claudia Martinez, Miller Union, Atlanta
- Elise Mensing, Brasserie by Niche, St. Louis
- Camari Mick, The Musket Room, NYC
- Ruben Ortega, Xochi, Houston
- Shannah Primiano, Porto, Chicago
- Rabii Saber, Four Seasons, Orlando, FL
- Caroline Schiff, Gage & Tollner, NYC
- Anne Specker, Kinship, Washington, D.C.
- Krystle Swenson, The Social Haus, Greenough, MT
- Sofia Tejeda, Mixtli, San Antonio, TX
- Jen Yee, Hopkins and Company, Atlanta
After a long hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the James Beard Awards are back to honor restaurants and chefs across the country for their dedication to their craft.
