Well, the results are in and this year FIG and Sean Brock went big at the James Beard Foundation Award announcements. Brock was nominated not only for Outstanding Chef for a third time, but also, as predicted, for his Heritage cookbook. The tome has been nominated for James Beard’s American Cooking award. Brock shares the category with authors Erin Murray and Jeremy Sewall of New England Kitchen and Terry Thompson-Anderson of Texas on the Table.
FIG and McCrady’s both were nominated for Outstanding Wine Program. But the big chef news of the day is FIG’s Executive Chef Jason Stanhope follows in his mentor Mike Lata’s footsteps and moves on to the finals for Best Chef Southeast in his first year nominated. (Lata was nominated for the award in 2007 and ’08 and won in 2009.) Stanhope competes against powerhouse players John Fleer of Asheville, N.C.’s Rhubarb, Edward Lee of Louisville, Ky.’s 610 Magnolia and Milkwood, Steven Satterfield of Atlanta’s Miller Union, Andrew Michael of Memphis, Tenn.’s Hog & Hominy, and Tandy Wilson of Nashville, Tenn.’s City House.
“@hseanbrock: @jasonstanhope congrats chef!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
You, too!! Best Tuesday ever.
— Jason Stanhope (@jasonstanhope) March 24, 2015
Also, this year cookbook author Nathalie Dupree was recognized with a 2015 Who’s Who Inductee award. Dupree shares the honor with bacon king Allan Benton, cocktail guru Dale DeGroff, molecular gastronomy pioneer chef Wylie Dufresne, and culinary historian Maricel Presilla.
Of the 11 Charleston semifinalists, the following restaurants and chefs did not move on to the finals:
Best New Restaurant: Edmund’s Oast
Outstanding Baker: Lauren Mitterer, WildFlour Pastry
Outstanding Restaurant: Hominy Grill
Outstanding Service: Charleston Grill
Rising Star of the Year: Ari Kolender, Leon’s Oyster Shop
Best Chef: Southeast: Jeremiah Bacon, The Macintosh; Josh Keeler, Two Boroughs Larder
TV personality and chef Alton Brown will host the 2015 James Beard Awards, which will be held at Lyric Opera of Chicago on Mon. May 4. We’ll find out if Brock’s Heritage wins at the Book, Broadcast, and Journalism Awards on Fri. April 24. To look at the complete James Beard Award finalist list, click here.
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