The James Beard Foundation released its list of semifinalists for the 26th annual James Beard Awards. In the Outstanding Baker category, 20 bakers and pastry chefs from across the country have been selected as semifinalists. To qualify for the award, the nominee must prepare breads, pastries or desserts in a retail bakery setting and have been a baker or pastry chef for at least five years. The winners of the 2016 James Beard Foundation Awards will be announced at the Lyric Opera of Chicago on Monday, May 2, 2016.
2016 Semifinalists for Outstanding Baker
- Robert Alexander, The General Muir, Atlanta
- Evan Andres, Columbia City Bakery, Seattle
- Kim Boyce, Bakeshop, Portland, OR
- Joanne Chang, Flour Bakery + Café, Boston
- Andre Chin and Amanda Eap, Artisan Boulanger Patissier, Philadelphia
- Rick Easton, Bread and Salt, Pittsburgh
- Mark Furstenberg, Bread Furst, Washington, D.C.
- Michelle Gayer, Salty Tart, Minneapolis
- Zachary Golper, Bien Cuit, Brooklyn, NY
- John Kraus, Patisserie 46, Minneapolis
- Phoebe Lawless, Scratch Bakery, Durham, NC
- Belinda Leong and Michel Suas, B. Patisserie, San Francisco
- Cheryl Maffei and Jonathan Stevens, Hungry Ghost Bread, Northampton, MA
- Laura Martelli and Matthew Rosenzweig, The Flaky Tart, Atlantic Highlands, NJ
- Dave and Megan Miller, Baker Miller Bakery & Millhouse, Chicago
- Moshit Mizrachi-Gabbitas, Janjou Pâtisserie, Boise, ID
- Sarah O’Brien, The Little Tart, Atlanta
- Lionel Vatinet, La Farm Bakery, Cary, NC
- Melissa Weller, Sadelle’s, NYC
- William Werner, Craftsman and Wolves, San Francisco
