2 Seattle restaurants named semifinalists for prestigious James Beard Awards
SEATTLE - Seattle-area chefs and restaurants are once again in the spotlight as nominees for the nationwide James Beard Foundation 2024 Restaurant and Chef Awards.
The James Beard Foundation, known for recognizing culinary excellence across the country, has announced its 2025 semifinalist nominees.
Keep reading to see which Seattle restaurants and chefs made this year's prestigious list.
Restaurant and Chef Award Nominees
Some restaurateurs hailing from the Pacific Northwest make the nominee round.
Best New Restaurant
To qualify for Best New Restaurant, the locations must have opened between Oct. 1, 2023 and Sept. 30, 2024.
These restaurants demonstrate "excellence in cuisine, seems likely to make a significant impact in years to come, and demonstrate consistent excellence in food, atmosphere, hospitality, and operations," according to the James Beard Foundation.
For 2025, Atoma, a Seattle restaurant, made the list. Here is the total list of nominees in the category:
- Alma Fonda Fina, Denver, CO
- Atoma, Seattle, WA
- Bûcheron, Minneapolis, MN
- Ema, Houston, TX
- Fet-Fisk, Pittsburgh, PA
- Mābo, Dallas, TX
- Mita, Washington, D.C.
- Ômo by Jônt, Winter Park, FL
- Penny, New York, NY
- The Union, Helena, MT
Outstanding Hospitality
The foundation nominates restaurants in this category for fostering, "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."
Seattle restaurant Archipelago made the list for the 2025 awards, here are all the nominees in the category this year.
- Archipelago, Seattle, WA
- Aria, Atlanta, GA
- Atomix, New York, NY
- Harbor House Inn, Elk, CA
- Mixtli, San Antonio, TX
Best Chef – Northwest and Pacific region (Alaska, Hawaii, Oregon and Washington)
One chef from Washington made the James Beard nominee this year, Jay Blackinton of Houlme on Orcas Island.
Here is the full list of nominees for 2025:
- Jay Blackinton, Houlme, Orcas Island, WA
- Joshua Dorcak, MÄS, Ashland, OR
- Ryan Roadhouse, Nodoguro, Portland, OR
- Beau Schooler, In Bocca Al Lupo, Juneau, AK
- Timothy Wastell, Antica Terra, Amity, OR
Here is a full list of nominees at the 2025 James Beard Foundation Awards.
The Source: Information for this article comes from MMGY Wagstaff.
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