One Atlanta restaurant is still in the running for one of the highest culinary honors in the country.
Decatur restaurant Kimball House was named a James Beard Foundation Award finalist in the Outstanding Bar Program category. Finalists were announced this morning in Philadelphia, with winners set to be announced May 7 in Chicago. Mashama Bailey of The Grey in Savannah was also named a finalist in the Best Chef: Southeast category.
Atlanta chefs and restaurants were well-represented when the James Beard Foundation Award semifinalists were announced last month.
Semifinalists in the Best Chef: Southeast category included Ryan Smith of Staplehouse , Atsushi Hayakawa of Sushi Hayakawa , Meherwan Irani of Chai Pani in Decatur and Asheville, N.C. and Ri Liu of Masterpiece in Duluth .
Atlantans or those with Atlanta ties were also named semifinalists in the Outstanding Baker and Wine Program, Rising Star Chef of Year, Outstanding Chef and Outstanding Restaurateur categories.
Those with Atlanta ties fared better on the media award finalist side, with AJC food writer Wyatt Williams receiving a nomination for the MFK Fisher Distinguished Writing Award for a piece he wrote for the Oxford American. Shane Mitchell received a nomination in the same category for a story she wrote for Atlanta-based The Bitter Southerner.
Bon Appetit editor Andrew Knowlton, who grew up in Alpharetta and graduated from Greater Atlanta Christian School, is a finalist in the Wine, Spirits, and other Beverages category, and former Atlanta resident Bill Addison is a finalist for a Craig Claiborne Distinguished Restaurant Review Award. The media awards will be announced April 27 in New York City.
A complete list of 2018 finalists is online at jamesbeard.org/awards.
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