Six female chefs from the Phoenix area have been named semifinalists for the 2019 James Beard Awards, presented by the James Beard Foundation. These awards are considered the Super Bowl of food awards for chefs. This is just the first round. Overall, the Valley has eight semifinalists.
First, Chrysa Robertson of the Scottsdale staple Rancho Pinot (number one on our 2018 list of Phoenix essentials) has been nominated for outstanding chef, a category that, like the next two, is not restricted by region.
Kai Restaurant in Chandler was nominated for outstanding service.
Samantha Sanz (Talavera at the Four Seasons) and Cassie Shortino (Tratto) each received a nod for Rising Star Chef of the Year.
- Local
- Community
- Journalism
Support the independent voice of Phoenix and help keep the future of New Times free.
And in the category of Best Chef Southwest, Nadia Holguin (of the now-closed Roland's Market Cafe Bar), Silvana Esparza (of Barrio Cafe Gran Reserva), Kevin Binkley (of Binkley's Restaurant), and Charleen Badman (of FnB) were nominated.
The finalists will be announced on March 27 and the winners on May 6.
We'll keep you updated as these awards progress to future rounds.
Keep Phoenix New Times Free... Since we started Phoenix New Times, it has been defined as the free, independent voice of Phoenix, and we would like to keep it that way. Offering our readers free access to incisive coverage of local news, food and culture. Producing stories on everything from political scandals to the hottest new bands, with gutsy reporting, stylish writing, and staffers who've won everything from the Society of Professional Journalists' Sigma Delta Chi feature-writing award to the Casey Medal for Meritorious Journalism. But with local journalism's existence under siege and advertising revenue setbacks having a larger impact, it is important now more than ever for us to rally support behind funding our local journalism. You can help by participating in our "I Support" membership program, allowing us to keep covering Phoenix with no paywalls.
