The Greater Philadelphia area has 15 chefs and restaurants who were named 2025 James Beard Award semifinalists, writes Emma Dooling for the Philadelphia Business Journal.
Two Philadelphia chefs and restaurants are up for two of the James Beard Award’s biggest honors.
Greg Vernick of Vernick Fish is being nominated for the Outstanding Chef category; and Kalaya is being nominated for Outstanding Restaurant.
Friday Saturday Sunday has its Lovers Bar nominated this year in the Outstanding Bar category.
The chef at Cambodian noodle restaurant Mawn, Phila Lorn, has been nominated in the Emerging Chef category. Meanwhile, Abigail Dahan of Provenance in Society Hill is nominated in the Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker category.
Machine Shop, the South Philadelphia bakery, is up for Outstanding Bakery.
Four Philly chefs are nominated for Best Chef in the Mid-Atlantic: Juan Carlos Aparicio of El Chingon, Yun Fuentes of Bolo, and Amanda Shulman of Her Place Supper Club, and Jesse Ito of Royal Izakaya.
Philadelphia’s other semifinalists include Little Fish in the Outstanding Hospitality category, Càphê Roasters in the Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program category, and Kampar’s Kongsi bar in the Best New Bar category.
Read more about Philly’s representation in this year’s James Beard Award semifinalist list in the Philadelphia Business Journal.
_____
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on PHILADELPHIA Today in January 2025.
