The James Beard Foundation announced its 2019 award finalists in Houston, Texas, today after releasing the list of semifinalists in February. Six restaurants with ICE alumni as chefs were on the initial list, three of which were nominated today.
Mashama Bailey (Culinary, '01) is up for Best Chef: Southeast for her work at The Grey in Savannah, Georgia, which was documented on this season of Netflix's "Chef's Table." Chef Mashama was a semifinalist in 2018 and has since opened The Grey Market with grab-and-go fare. She's widely recognized for drawing national attention to Savannah's food scene and incorporates local history and culture into her menu.
Rachel Yang (Culinary, '01) and her husband, Seif Chirchi, are among the nominees for Best Chef: Northwest, with their first of three restaurants, Joule in Seattle. The couple met at Alain Ducasse at the Essex House in New York and opened Joule in 2007. The Korean restaurant has since relocated and earned both chefs semifinalist nods every year since its debut.
Momofuku's latest Los Angeles restaurant, Majordmo, is nominated for Best New Restaurant with ICE alum Marc Johnson (Culinary, '04) as chef de cuisine. The David Chang concept changes its menu of Asian and Californian food daily in Downtown LA.
Semifinalists included Sohui Kim (Culinary/Management, '02) of Insa and Ann Redding (Culinary, '02) of Uncle Boons for Best Chef: New York City, and Missy Robbins (Culinary, '95) of Lilia for Outstanding Chef. Chef Missy won the 2018 James Beard Award for Best Chef: New York City.
Miguel Trinidad (Culinary, '07) co-authored "I Am a Filipino," which is nominated for the International Book Award, and Gail Simmons (Culinary, '99) will host the foundation's 2019 Leadership Awards in Chicago on May 5. Actor Jesse Tyler Ferguson will host the James Beard Awards ceremony and gala the following evening. Fans can follow @beardfoundation for the live broadcast on Twitter.
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