excerpts:
More than 20,000 entries in 21 restaurant and chef categories have been considered by the James Beard Foundation, who have pared them down to this list of Semifinalists, released today. San Francisco and the Bay Area are, as usual, well represented by perennial nominees like Belinda Leong and Michel B Suas (B. Patisserie) for Outstanding Baker, as well as newcomers like Rachel Aronow of The Alembic for Rising Star Chef and, in the Best Chef West category, Reem Assil of Reem’s California in Oakland. The whole list is here, while the Bay Area contingent is below.
Three Bay Area restaurants scored a nod in the Outstanding Restaurant Category, the very different contenders of Quince, Swan Oyster Depot, and Koi Palace in Daly City. There were no local semifinalists in the Outstanding Restaurateur category, but many in the realm of Outstanding Wine and Spirits Professionals.
