The Outstanding Baker category is represented by 6 finalists, while the Outstanding Pastry Chef category is represented by 5 finalists. Each category’s winner, along with all the other James Beard Award categories, will be announced at the 2018 James Beard Awards Gala. The ceremony takes place on Monday, May 7 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.
Here are the nominees for Outstanding Baker and Outstanding Pastry Chef:
Outstanding Baker (Qualifications: A chef or baker who prepares breads, pastries, or desserts in a retail bakery, and who serves as a national standard-bearer of excellence. Must have been a baker or pastry chef for at least five years)
- Dianna Daoheung, Black Seed Bagels, NYC
- Zachary Golper, Bien Cuit, Brooklyn, NY
- Maura Kilpatrick, Sofra Bakery and Café, Cambridge, MA
- Belinda Leong and Michel Suas: B. Patisserie, San Francisco, CA
- Alison Pray: Standard Baking Co., Portland, ME
- Greg Wade: Publican Quality Bread, Chicago, IL
Outstanding Pastry Chef (Qualifications: A chef or baker who prepares desserts, pastries, or breads in a restaurant, and who serves as a national standard bearer of excellence. Must have been a pastry chef or baker for the past five years)
- Kelly Fields, Willa Jean, New Orleans, LA
- Meg Galus, Boka, Chicago, IL
- Margarita Manzke, République, Los Angeles, CA
- Dolester Miles, Highlands Bar & Grill, Birmingham, AL
- Diane Yang, Spoon and Stable, Minneapolis, MN
