NC restaurants, chefs are semi-finalists for 2022 James Beard Awards

The awards are often referred to as "The Oscars of Food," and the Triangle has a legacy of taking home honors. This year is no different.

Posted 5:03 p.m. Feb 23, 2022 — Updated 5:54 p.m. Feb 23, 2022

Kathy Hanrahan

, WRAL lifestyle editor

RALEIGH, N.C. — A collection of North Carolina restaurants and chefs have been named semi-finalists for national James Beard Foundation awards.

The awards are often referred to as "The Oscars of Food," and the Triangle has a legacy of taking home honors. The semi-finalists were announced Wednesday. Finalists for each award will be revealed next month.

Durham's Alley Twenty Six was named a semi-finalist for Outstanding Bar Program, a national James Beard Award.

Asheville's culinary scene has numerous semi-finalists for national James Beard Awards.

Chai Pani in Asheville was named a semi-finalist for Outstanding Restaurant.

Cleophus Hethington, the chef of Benne on Eagle in Asheville, was named a semi-finalist for Emerging Chef. That award replaces the previous Rising Star award, which was only open to those 30 years old or younger.

Susannah Gebhart of Old World Levain (OWL) Bakery in Asheville was named a semi-finalist for Outstanding Baker.

Two restaurants in the state were named among the semi-finalists for Best New Restaurant - Machete in Greensboro and Nani's Piri Piri Chicken in Asheville.

Cúrate in Asheville was named a semi-finalist for Outstanding Hospitality.

The best chef in the southeast award semi-finalist list includes several from North Carolina:

Katie Button of Cúrate in Asheville
Gregory Collier of Leah & Louise in Charlotte
Oscar Diaz of The Cortez in Raleigh
Sunny Gerhart of St. Roch Fine Oysters + Bar in Raleigh
Peyton Smith of Mission Pizza Napoletana in Winston-Salem
Stephanie Tyson of Sweet Potatoes in Winston-Salem
Aaron Vandemark of Panciuto in Hillsborough
Cheetie Kumar of Garland in Raleigh
Ricky Moore of Saltbox Seafood Joint in Durham

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North Carolina chefs have a history of winning James Beard Awards. Lantern's Andrea Reusing won best chef in the southeast in 2011. Ben Barker of Magnolia Grill won the same honor in 2000. Karen and Ben Barker of Magnolia Grill won outstanding pastry chef in 2003.

Raleigh's Ashley Christensen, who won the James Beard Award for Outstanding Chef in 2019, won the award for best chef in the southeast in 2014.

The James Beard Award finalists will be announced March 16. The awards will be presented at a gala on June 13 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.

The James Beard Foundation opted not to present awards in 2020 and 2021 amid the COVID-19 pandemic and concerns about diversity.

The foundation conducted an internal audit of its policies and procedures. It has since established a "code of ethics as a guideline for all entrants, semifinalists, and nominees, as well as its voting body." There was also the creation of an independent volunteer ethics committee to address allegations made about potential winners, or members of the voting body.

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