The list of semifinalists for the 2012 James Beard Foundation Awards is out - and several restaurants and chefs in Flatiron and Gramercy have made the cut!
The James Beard Foundation Awards honor all aspects of the industry - from chefs and restaurateurs to cookbook authors and food journalists to restaurant designers and architects. It is the highest honor for food and beverage professionals in North America. The James Beard Foundation Awards are presented each spring at Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center on Monday, May 7.
Here are the 2012 James Beard Foundation Awards semifinalists:
Outstanding Chef
Daniel Humm, Eleven Madison Park
Eleven Madison Park is no stranger to the James Beard Awards, already holding five awards; and Daniel Humm himself was awarded Best Chef New York City in 2010. Serving up contemporary French cuisine, Humm earned his first Michelin star while still in his 20s. In Eleven Madison Park's first three star review from the New York Times, critic Frank Bruni called Humm's cooking "inspired" and "opulent," exclaiming that "meals here hit highs they never came close to in the past."
Best Chef: NYC
Michael Anthony, Gramercy Tavern
Chef Michael Anthony, who underwent emergency open-heart surgery last November, may soon have another hook to hang his hat on. After working at Blue Hill in 2006, Anthony approached restaurateur Danny Meyer with a business plan for a new restaurant. Impressed, Meyer put Anthony at the helm of Gramercy Tavern, taking over for Tom Colicchio.
Dan Kluger, ABC Kitchen
Time Out New York's 2011 Chef of the Year, Dan Kluger has made a name for himself, and ABC Kitchen, with his use of greenmarket-sourced ingredients and his flawless French techniques.
For the complete list of James Beard Foundation Awards semifinalists, visit the James Beard Foundation online.
Eleven Madison Park: 11 Madison Ave., bet. E. 24th and E. 25th sts.
Gramercy Tavern: 42 E. 20th St., bet. E. 20th and E. 21st sts.
ABC Kitchen: 35 E. 18th St. at Broadway
