A few D.C. area chefs are still in the running to be honored in this year’s edition of the James Beard Foundation awards.
Perpetual nominee Cathal Armstrong of Restaurant Eve and the EatGoodFood Group was nominated as a James Beard Foundation Award finalist for Best Chef Mid-Atlantic, as was Vikram Sunderam of Rasika and Rasika West End — also a frequent nominee. Spike Gjerde of Baltimore restaurants Woodberry Kitchen, Shoo-fly and Parts & Labor also got a nod in that category.
All three chefs were nominated last year, although none of them won the category. That title went to Johnny Monis of D.C.’s Komi, who wasn’t nominated this year. In general, four of the five nominees in the Best Chef Mid-Atlantic were the same as last year. The only new addition was Chef Brad Spence of Amis in Philadelphia.
D.C. area restaurants were largely left out of national categories. There were no D.C. area chefs or restaurateurs nominated for pastry chef, outstanding chef, outstanding restaurant or outstanding restaurateur, among other categories. Winners will be announced in May.
