The Refinery itself was a semifinalist for Best New Restaurant in the United States in 2011.
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In 2014, Binkley and Badman were joined by chef Silvana Salicido Esparza on the list of chefs nominated for the Best Chef: Southwest award, which recognizes “chefs who have set new or consistent standards of excellence in their respective regions”.
First-time semifinalist Diane Yang from Spoon and Stable in Minneapolis was named to the list of Outstanding Pastry Chefs.
The James Beard Foundation today named Joseph Cuccia, co-owner and executive chef of 17 Summer in Lodi, a semifinalist for Rising Star Chef of the Year. The awards are considered the Oscars of the culinary world, recognizing chefs, bartenders, restaurant owners, media members and more.
Michelle Gayer, owner and chef at The Salty Tart, and John Kraus from Patisserie 46, both in Minneapolis, are semifinalists for the James Beard Award of Outstanding Baker.
The James Beard Foundation – named for the beloved cookbook author, kitchen instructor and champion of the culinary arts – is a non-profit dedicated to supporting American culinary heritage.
Award-winning restaurant Frasca Food and Wine was nominated, once again, in the national Outstanding Restaurant category, alongside Alinea in Chicago, Pizzeria Bianco in Phoenix, and Momofuku in New York City, among others.
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The full list of semifinalists is here. The five finalists in each category will be selected by about 600 judges across the nation and announced on March 15.
