James Beard Buzz
Bryce Gilmore and Jesse Griffiths' Afield announced as James Beard Foundation Awards finalists
In mid-February, the highly anticipated James Beard Foundation Awards semifinalists were announced, garnering six nominations for five chefs in the Austin culinary scene.
On Monday, March 18, the pool of semifinalists was narrowed down to the final nominees, which includes two Austin names: Bryce Gilmore and Jesse Griffiths.
Chef Bryce Gilmore (chef/owner of Barley Swine) is a finalist in the Best Chef of the Southwest category. Gilmore was also a semifinalist in the Rising Star Chef of the Year category, alongside Janina O'Leary (Trace).
Jesse Griffiths, of Dai Due, also finds himself in the national spotlight with the nomination of his acclaimed cookbook, Afield, nominated in the Cookbooks: Single Subject category. The book, released in September of 2012 is a chef's guide to preparing and cooking wild game and fish.
Winners of the 2013 James Beard Foundation Awards will be announced on May 3 and May 6 at Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center in New York City.
The 2013 Austin semifinalists included: Tyson Cole of Uchi, Janina O'Leary of Trace, Rene Ortiz of La Condesa, and Laura Sawicki of La Condesa.