David Kinch, chef and owner of renowned Los Gatos restaurant Manresa, and Restaurant 1833 of Monterey are both semifinalists in the prestigious James Beard Foundation (JBF) Awards, commonly known as the Oscars of the food and restaurant world. The JBF Awards cover many aspects of the culinary field—from chefs and restaurateurs to cookbook authors and food journalists to restaurant designers and architects.
The semifinalists were announced a few days ago and final nominees will be announced on March 19. Winners of the Book, Broadcast, and Journalism Awards are announced on May 4, and the awards in categories including Chef, Restaurant, and Design will be given out on May 7.
Kinch is nominated in the Outstanding Chef category, which includes chefs from across the country. His 19 semi-final competitors include Suzanne Goin from Los Angeles-based Lucques, Charles Phan from San Francisco’s The Slanted Door, and David Chang from New York’s Momofuku Ssäm Bar. You may recall that in 2010, Kinch won in the category Best Chef: Pacific Region (finalists for Best Pacific this year include the innovative and talented Mourad Lahlou of SF’s Aziza; here is my recap of a meal by Lahlou).
Kinch definitely deserves his nomination; I have eaten at Manresa and he is an absolute artist. For more on Kinch, read my three-part interview: Part 1 includes details on the chef, the restaurant, and also features a video featuring Kinch and Cynthia Sandberg, owner of Love Apple Farm in Ben Lomond (near Santa Cruz). In 2006, Kinch formed an exclusive partnership with Sandberg. Together they have created a sustainable farm which supplies Manresa with biodynamic-grown vegetables. Part 2 of the interview includes a beautiful slideshow, and Part 3 includes cooking tips from Chef Kinch plus his experience on the popular TV show Iron Chef America (in 2009 he beat Bobby Flay).
Monterey’s Restaurant 1833 is a semifinalist in the Best New Restaurant category. It’s competing against 28 other restaurants to make it into the finals. Other Bay Area restaurants are AQ and Park Tavern in San Francisco. Restaurant 1833 opened in Summer 2011 in the historic Stokes Adobe. Executive Chef Levi Mezick, previously of Per Se, Daniel, and Café Boulud, prepares appetizers such as Jerusalem Artichoke Soup, Seared Foie Gras, and Bone Marrow, and entrees such as Roasted Truffle Chicken and Potato-Crusted Snapper.
On Twitter? Follow me @santacruzfoodie.
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