The James Beard Foundation, a New York-based non[profit that works to celebrate and support America’s food culture and local restaurant operators across the country, has just announced its semifinalists for its 2022 Restaurant and Chef Awards with a list that includes a slew of local names.
The semifinalists were announced on February 23, ahead of the awards ceremony on Monday, June 13, 2022. The awards were established in 1991 and are a massive deal in the industry. And despite a number of local chefs having been nominated in previous years, nobody has ever won an award in Orlando.
This year’s nominations include the following local names:
- Evette Rahman of Sister Honey’s for Outstanding Baker
- Henry Moso of Kabooki Sushi for Best Chef: South
- Jason and Sue Chin of Good Salt Restaurant Group for Outstanding Restaurateur
- Rabii Saber of Four Seasons Resort Orlando for Outstanding Pastry Chef
This is the second time both Rahman and Moso have been nominated for an award from the foundation with Moso named a semifinalist for Rising Star Chef of the Year in 2020 and Saber being nominated for Outstanding Pastry Chef in 2019.
The Chins recently hosted the James Beard Foundation for its cross country Taste America series which visited some of the hottest restaurants in the nation across 26 cities, including Orlando. The event was hosted at Reyes Mezcaleria last November and we wrote about it HERE.
Love love Sister Honey’s! Pistachio cake is amazing.
Sister Honey’s Coconut cake is the most delicious ever!