The James Beard Foundation announced its 2024 Restaurant and Chef Awards Semifinalists on Wednesday, all part of its prestigious food-celebratin’ James Beard Awards. As always, a host of Milwaukee chefs made the cut: Amilinda’s Gregory León (Outstanding Chef), Odd Duck’s Ross Bachhuber and Samuel Ek (Best Chef: Midwest), EsterEv’s Dan Jacobs and Dan Van Rite (Best Chef: Midwest), and Birch’s Kyle Knall (Best Chef: Midwest).
The Dans made the semifinals in the Best Chef: Midwest category in 2023, as did León. Knall was a semifinalist for Outstanding Chef in 2022. Bachhuber and Ek are first-time semifinalists. Here’s Bachhuber with a northern:
“We are thrilled for the return of the James Beard Awards—recognizing the outstandingly talented leaders making their mark on American food,” says Clare Reichenbach, CEO of the James Beard Foundation, in a press release. “As we’ve heard time and again from honorees, receiving this recognition has the potential to be truly transformative—and so, the Awards remain a vital platform for supporting and elevating the independent restaurant industry as a whole. Congratulations to our 2024 semifinalists and best of luck this Awards cycle!”
Finalists for the 2024 awards will be announced April 3. Winners will be named at the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards Ceremony June 10 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.
The full list of semifinalists can be found HERE. Here’s León taking a lot of shots:
Aaaaand the Dans:
Want more Milwaukee Record? Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter and/or support us on Patreon.
RELATED ARTICLES
• EsterEv plans to move to former C-viche space in Bay View
• Shot For Shot With Chefs: Dan Jacobs and Dan Van Rite (DanDan, The Fauntleroy, Ash, EsterEv)
• Shot For Shot With Chefs: Watch us get drunk and become best friends with Gregory León of Amilinda
• Milwaukee’s Lupi & Iris, Black Shoe Hospitality, more are 2023 James Beard Award Semifinalists