When the semifinalists for the 2014 James Beard Foundation Awards were announced a month ago, followers of the local dining scene were elated: St. Louis had received seven semifinalist noms, its most ever.
The finalists were announced this morning.
Gerard Craft (Niche, Taste, Brasserie by Niche, Pastaria) and Kevin Nashan (Sidney Street Cafe) came away with finalist nominations, the first time St. Louis has tallied two JBFA finalists in the same year. Awards will be presented at a gala in New York City in early May.
Patrick Connolly of Basso is the only local chef to have won a Beard award, winning for Best Chef: Northeast in 2008 while he was at Radius restaurant in Boston.
A total of five local chefs had been named semifinalists for "Best Chef: Midwest" this year--Gerard Craft of Niche Restaurant Group, Josh Galliano of The Libertine, Kevin Nashan of Sidney Street Café, Kevin Willmann of Farmhaus, and Ben Poremba of Elaia and Olio. Taste, one of four restaurants owned by Gerard Craft, received a nomination for "Outstanding Bar Program." Rick Lewis, chef of Quincy Street Bistro, received the other nomination for "Rising Star Chef of the Year."
St. Louis is proud of its dining scene every day but today is special: today the city just doubled its chances of scoring another Beard.
The complete list of 2014 JBFA finalist nominees is here.
