10 Maine restaurants and chefs are up for James Beard Foundation Awards
Courtesy / Magnus on Water via Facebook
In Biddeford, Magnus on Water landed on the James Beard semifinalist list, with the nomination of chef Ben Jackson as a top chef in the Northeast.
Maine dining establishments and their workers are once again in the running for the prestigious James Beard Foundation’s Restaurant and Chef Awards.
The foundation on Wednesday announced its 2022 awards semifinalists, which include eight contenders in Portland and two in Biddeford.
The awards are one of the world’s most renowned culinary competitions — the foodie equivalent of the Oscars — and have been presented annually since 1991.
Leeward, a Portland restaurant that opened in 2020 and has “an Italian bent,” as its website says, landed on the list twice. The eatery is in the best new restaurant category, and a member of the Leeward staff, Kate Fisher Hamm, was nominated as outstanding pastry chef.
The best new restaurant category comprises eateries that opened in 2020 or 2021, demonstrate excellence in cuisine and hospitality, and seem likely to make a significant impact in years to come, according to the foundation.
The outstanding pastry chef category is for specialists in desserts, pastries or breads with at least three years of experience and exceptional skills. The chefs can be affiliated with any food business, including those without a brick-and-mortar presence.
Other Portland contenders are:
- Outstanding Baker: Atsuko Fujimoto, Norimoto Bakery
- Outstanding Hospitality: BaoBao Dumpling House
- Outstanding Bar Program: The Jewel Box.
Five Mainers are also in the running for best chef in the Northeast region:
- Bowman Brown, Elda, Biddeford
- Vien Dobui, CÔNG TỬ BỘT, Portland
- Ben Jackson, Magnus on Water, Biddeford
- Courtney Loreg, Woodford Food and Beverage, Portland
- Damian Sansonetti, Chaval, Portland.
The 2022 Restaurant and Chef Awards Ceremony will take place in Chicago on June 13. The entry and recommendation period for the awards ran last October and November.
The Restaurant and Chef Awards program is one of the foundation’s five separate recognition programs overseen by the James Beard Foundation, a nonprofit based in New York City.
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