Representatives of the James Beard Foundation are at this hour announcing the finalists for this year’s Beard Awards. As in years past, no Central Florida chefs have made the cut. And this year, none of the finalists are from Florida restaurants.
Finalists for Best Chef, South, the category that includes Florida, include three from New Orleans: Justin Devillier, La Petite Grocery, Slade Rushing, Brennan’s and Isaac Toups, Toups’ Meatery. Also on the final list are Vishwesh Bhatt of Snackbar in Oxford, Miss., and Jose Enrique of Jose Enrique, San Juan, Puerto Rico.
This year’s semifinalists included local chefs James and Julie Petrakis, Kathleen Blake and Scott Hunnel. No Central Florida chef has ever advanced to the finals.
The Beard Awards will be announced on May 2 in Chicago.
