(WXYZ) — The James Beard Foundation announced the finalists for 2023 James Beard Awards on Wednesday, with Michigan chefs and restaurants well-represented.
There are 22 categories featured in the restaurant and chef awards for the James Beard Foundation.
Among the top awards are Outstanding Chef and Outstanding Restaurant.
Hajime Sato, from Sozai in Clawson, was a finalist for Outstanding Chef, alongside chefs from Massachusetts, Los Angeles, Brooklyn and Washington D.C.
The award goes to "a chef who sets high culinary standards and has served as a positive example for other food professionals, while contributing positively to their broader community."
Spencer, in Ann Arbor, is a finalist for Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program, which "is presented to a restaurant that demonstrates exceptional care and skill in the pairing of wine and other beverages with food, while contributing positively to its broader community."
Three chefs in Detroit were finalists in the Best Chef for the Great Lakes category. It includes restaurants in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio.
Omar Anani from Saffron De Twah, Andy Hollyday from Selden Standard and Sarah Welch from Marrow were among the finalists. Two other chefs from Chicago were also finalists.
“I am honored to participate in these Awards that recognize our country’s extraordinary talent and showcase all those contributing to the richness and diversity of American food culture today,” said Adrian Miller, Restaurant and Chef Awards Committee Chair. “Congratulations to all of this year’s Restaurant and Chef Nominees.”
Winners will be celebrated and announced at the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards ceremony on Monday, June 5 in Chicago.
