To qualify as an Outstanding Baker or Pastry Chef, individuals must prepare breads, pastries, or desserts in a retail bakery (for bakers) or restaurant (for pastry chefs) setting, serve as a national standard-bearer of excellence, and must have been a baker or pastry chef for at least five years.
The winners of the 2018 James Beard Foundation Awards will be announced at the James Beard Awards Gala, which takes place on Monday, May 7, 2018 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.
2018 Semifinalists for Outstanding Baker
- Or Amsalam and Alex Phaneuf, Lodge Bread Company, Los Angeles
- Evan Andres, Columbia City Bakery, Seattle
- David Bauer, Farm & Sparrow, Asheville, NC
- Andy Clark, Moxie Bread Co., Louisville, CO
- Dianna Daoheung, Black Seed Bagels, NYC
- Evrim Dogu and Evin Dogu, Sub Rosa Bakery, Richmond, VA
- Tova du Plessis, Essen Bakery, Philadelphia
- Ken Forkish, Trifecta Tavern, Portland, OR
- Michelle Gayer, Salty Tart, Minneapolis
- Zachary Golper, Bien Cuit, Brooklyn, NY
- George Kanemitsu, Kanemitsu Bakery, Kaunakakai, HI
- Maura Kilpatrick, Sofra Bakery and Café, Cambridge, MA
- Belinda Leong and Michel Suas, B. Patisserie, San Francisco
- Lisa Ludwinski, Sister Pie, Detroit
- Sarah O’Brien, Little Tart Bakeshop, Atlanta
- Taylor Petrehn, 1900 Barker, Lawrence, KS
- Alison Pray, Standard Baking Co., Portland, ME
- Zak Stern, Zak the Baker, Miami
- H. Alexander Talbot and Aki Kamozawa, Curiosity Doughnuts, Stockton, NJ
- Greg Wade, Publican Quality Bread, Chicago
2018 Semifinalists for Outstanding Pastry Chef
- Jillian Bartolome, Aqui, Houston
- Aggie Chin, Mirabelle, Washington, D.C.
- Renae Connolly, Benedetto, Cambridge, MA
- Jennifer Jones Enyart, Dos Urban Cantina, Chicago
- Kelly Fields, Willa Jean, New Orleans
- Meg Galus, Boka, Chicago
- Megan Garrelts, Rye, Leawood, KS
- Ilma Lopez, Piccolo, Portland, ME
- Margarita Manzke, République, Los Angeles
- Dolester Miles, Highlands Bar & Grill, Birmingham, AL
- Kristen Murray, Måurice, Portland, OR
- Pat O’Malley, Hungry Pigeon, Philadelphia
- Natasha Pickowicz, Flora Bar, NYC
- Michelle Polzine, 20th Century Café, San Francisco
- Stephanie Prida, The Pool, NYC
- Casey Renee, Whitfield, Pittsburgh
- Laura Sawicki, Launderette, Austin
- Lisa Marie White, Marsh House, Nashville
- Cynthia Wong, Butcher & Bee, Charleston, SC
- Diane Yang, Spoon and Stable, Minneapolis
