NEW ORLEANS – Several New Orleans restaurateurs are celebrating today after the James Beard Foundation announced its 2024 Restaurant and Chef Awards semifinalists in advance of the June 10 James Beard Awards event in Chicago. In April, the long list of semifinalists will be winnowed down to a smaller number of nominees.
The full list of semifinalists can be found here.
Robert LeBlanc of LeBlanc + Smith is a semifinalist in the category of Outstanding Restaurateur. He is the owner and operator of Sylvain, The Chloe, Anna’s, Barrel Proof and The Will & The Way. The award honors a restaurateur who “builds community, demonstrates creativity in entrepreneurship and integrity in restaurant operations, and is making efforts to create a sustainable work culture.”
Dakar NOLA, owned by Chef Serigne Mbaye and Effie Richardson, is a Best New Restaurant semifinalist. This category will honor an establishment opened between Oct. 1, 2022 through Sept. 30, 2023 that “already demonstrates excellence in cuisine, seems likely to make a significant impact in years to come, and demonstrates consistent excellence in food, atmosphere, hospitality and operations, while contributing positively to its broader community.”
The furthest thing from a new restaurant, the French Quarter’s legendary Arnaud’s, led by Katy and Archie Casbarian, is a semifinalist in the Outstanding Hospitality category. The foundation said the award will go to a a “restaurant, bar, or other food and drinking establishment that fosters a sense of hospitality among its customers and staff that serves as a beacon for the community and demonstrates consistent excellence in food, atmosphere, hospitality and operations,.”
Jewel of the South — owned by Chris Hannah, Victoria Espinel and John Stubbs — is an Outstanding Bar semifinalist.
And several New Orleans names are on the list of semifinalists in the Best Chef: South category. The list includes Melissa Araujo of Alma Cafe; Amarys Herndon and Jordan Herndon at Palm&Pine; Sophina Uong, owner of Mister Mao; Arvinder Vilkhu at Saffron; and Marlon “Chicken” Williams, proprietor of Chicken’s Kitchen in Gretna.
Around the region, two other spots located a short drive from New Orleans are semifinalists in major James Beard categories: Vestige in Ocean Springs, Miss. is on the long list in the Outstanding Restaurant category. And The Hope Farm in Fairhope, Ala., is a potential contender in the Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program category.
Among the nation’s most well-known culinary honors, the James Beard Awards spotlights “those who are creating exceptional food, food media content, and better food systems, while demonstrating a commitment to racial and gender equity, community, sustainability, and a culture where all can thrive.”
“We are thrilled for the return of the James Beard Awards recognizing the outstandingly talented leaders making their mark on American food,” said 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.”
