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NEW YORK (Feb. 13, 2009) The James Beard Foundation has for the first time announced the semifinalists for its prestigious chef and restaurant awards.

The list, which is compiled from nominations by various panels of regional judges, was leaked last year and published in a variety of food and restaurant blogs.

A second round of voting by the judges, who are food and restaurant industry journalists and past award winners, began Friday. The finalists will be announced March 23 at Frontera Grill in Chicago — the first time the announcement has been made outside the foundation’s New York headquarters. Another round of voting will follow that announcement, and the winners will be named May 4 at a gala at New York’s Avery Fisher Hall.

The list of semifinalists:.

For outstanding restaurateur:

• Ashok Bajaj, The Oval Room, The Bombay Club, Ardeo, Bardeo, 701, and Rasika, Washington, D.C.
• Tom Baron, Big Burrito Restaurant Group, Pittsburgh
• Roger Berkowitz, Legal Sea Foods, Boston
• Frank Bonanno, Mizuna, Luca D’Italia, and Osteria Marco, Denver
• Jimmy Bradley, Red Cat Restaurants, New York City
• Larry D’Amico and Richard D’Amico, D’Amico & Partners, Minneapolis
• Tom Douglas, Dahlia Lounge, Palace Kitchen, Etta’s, Lola, Serious Pie, and Dahlia Bakery, Seattle
• Sam Fox, Fox Restaurant Concepts, Scottsdale, Ariz.
• Jim Goode and Levi Goode, Goode Company Restaurants, Houston
• Bill Higgins and Bill Upson, Real Restaurants, Sausalito, Calif.
• Pano Karatassos, Buckhead Life Restaurant Group, Atlanta
• Pat Kuleto, Pat Kuleto Restaurant Development & Management Co., San Francisco
• Keith McNally, Balthazar, Schiller’s Liquor Bar, Pastis, Morandi, Lucky Strike, and Pravda, New York City
• Richard Melman, Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, Chicago
• Drew Nieporent, Myriad Restaurant Group, New York City
• Dennis Quaintance, Nancy King Quaintance, and Mike Weaver, Quaintance-Weaver Restaurants, Greensboro, N.C.
• Ralph Rubio, Rubio’s Restaurants, Carlsbad, Calif.
• Stephen Starr, Starr Restaurant Organization, Philadelphia
• Alan Stillman and Michael Stillman, Fourth Wall Restaurants, New York City
• Doug Washington, Mitchell Rosenthal, and Steven Rosenthal, Town Hall, Salt House, and Anchor & Hope, San Francisco
  

For outstanding chef:

• Jose Andres, Minibar, Washington, D.C.
• Dan Barber, Blue Hill, New York City
• Tom Colicchio, Craft, New York City
• Suzanne Goin, Lucques, Los Angeles
• Vincent Guerithault, Vincent on Camelback, Phoenix
• Sam Hayward, Fore Street, Portland, Maine
• Jean Joho, Everest, Chicago
• Paul Kahan, Blackbird, Chicago
• Barbara Lynch, No. 9 Park, Boston
• Michael Mina, Michael Mina, San Francisco
• Tamara Murphy, Brasa, Seattle
• Scott Peacock, Watershed, Decatur, Georgia
• Charles Phan, The Slanted Door, San Francisco
• Stephan Pyles, Stephan Pyles, Dallas
• Anne Quatrano, Bacchanalia, Atlanta
• Ana Sortun, Oleana, Cambridge, MA
• Frank Stitt, Highlands Bar & Grill, Birmingham, Ala.
• Marc Vetri, Vetri, Philadelphia
• Janos Wilder, Janos, Tucson, Ariz.
• Michael Smith, Restaurant Michael Smith, Kansas City, Mo.

For outstanding restaurant:

• Alan Wong’s Restaurant, Honolulu
• Babbo, New York City
• Bacchanalia, Atlanta
• Bern’s Steak House, Tampa, Fla.
• Blackbird, Chicago
• Boulevard, San Francisco
• Brigtsen’s, New Orleans
• Delfina, San Francisco
• Everest, Chicago
• Fore Street, Portland, Maine
• Greens, San Francisco
• Hamersley's Bistro, Boston
• Higgins Restaurant and Bar, Portland, Ore.
• Highlands Bar & Grill, Birmingham, Ala.
• Jean Georges, New York City
• Kinkead’s, Washington, D.C.
• Lucia’s Restaurant, Minneapolis
• Magnolia Grill, Durham, North Carolina
• Sanford, Milwaukee
• Vidalia, Washington, D.C.

For best new restaurant

• Animal, Los Angeles
• The Bazaar by Jose Andres at SLS Hotel at Beverly Hills, Los Angeles
• Bottega, Yountville, Calif.
• Camino, Oakland, Calif.
• Cork, Washington, D.C.
• Corton, New York City
• Distrito, Philadelphia
• Django, Des Moines, Iowa
• Emilitsa, Portland, Maine
• Feast, Houston
• Holeman and Finch Public House, Atlanta
• Hungry Mother, Cambridge, Mass.
• Izakaya at Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa, Atlantic City, NJ
• L2O, Chicago
• Merriman’s Kapalua, Maui, Lahaina, Hawaii
• Momofuku Ko, New York City
• Noca, Phoenix
• Palate Food & Wine, Glendale, Calif.
• Poppy, Seattle
• Raku, Las Vegas
• Richard Chen Pittsburgh
• Scarpetta, New York City
• Spinasse, Seattle
• Sra. Martinez, Miami
• Tei An, Dallas
• Trattoria Lucca, Charleston, S.C.
• Volt, Frederick, Md.
• Zahav, Philadelphia

For rising star, given to a chef 30 years old or younger.

• Nate Appleman, A16, San Francisco
• Sean Brock, McCrady's, Charleston, S.C.
• Aaron Deal, Tristan, Charleston, S.C.
• Sonja Finn, Dinette, Pittsburgh
• Evan Funke, Rustic Canyon Wine Bar and Seasonal Kitchen, Santa Monica, Calif.
• Vannessa Garcia, Restaurant Charlie at the Palazzo, Las Vegas
• Kevin Gillespie, Woodfire Grill, Atlanta
• Will Gilson, Garden at the Cellar, Cambridge, Mass.
• Sarah Kosikowski, Michael Mina at Bellagio, Las Vegas
• Jackson Kramer, Interim Restaurant & Bar, Memphis
• Travis Lett, Gjelina, Venice, Calif.
• Jonathan McDonald, Pub & Kitchen, Philadelphia
• Johnny Monis, Komi, Washington, D.C.
• Dave Racicot, Lautrec at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort, Farmington, Pa.
• Charles “Chip” Roman, Blackfish, Conshohocken, Pa.
• Gabriel Rucker, Le Pigeon, Portland, Ore.
• Justin Schoville, Sontes, Rochester, Minn.
• Ryan Skeen, Irving Mill, New York City
• Michael Solomonov, Zahav, Philadelphia
• Sameh Wadi, Saffron Restaurant & Lounge, Minneapolis
• Rachel Yang, Joule, Seattle
• Sue Zemanick, Gautreau's, New Orleans

For outstanding pastry chef:

• Cory Barrett, Lola, Cleveland
• Beth Biundo, Lilette, New Orleans
• David Collier, The Mansion Restaurant at Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek, Dallas
• Gina DePalma, Babbo, New York City
• Deanie Fox, Ubuntu, Napa, Calif.
• Kamel Guechida, Jo‘l Robuchon at the Mansion at MGM Grand Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas
• Kate Honeyman, Buddakan, Philadelphia
• Marie Jackson, The Flaky Tart, Atlantic Highlands, N.J.
• Maura Kilpatrick, Sofra Bakery and Cafe, Cambridge, MA
• Yasm’n Lozada-Hissom, Duo, Denver
• Jimmy MacMillan, Avenues at the Peninsula Chicago
• James Miller, Cafe Besalu, Seattle
• Zoe Nathan, Rustic Canyon Wine Bar and Seasonal Kitchen, Santa Monica, Calif.
• Pichet Ong, P*ong, New York City
• Frederick Ortega, Lacroix at the Rittenhouse, Philadelphia
• Nicole Plue, Redd, Yountville, Calif.
• Aaron Russell, The Chocolate Bar, Decatur, Ga.
• Catherine Schimenti, Craft Los Angeles
• Mindy Segal, Mindy’s HotChocolate, Chicago
• Khanh Tran, Cosmos, Minneapolis

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For outstanding wine service:

• Acquerello, San Francisco
• Archie’s Waeside, Le Mars, Iowa
• Avenues at the Peninsula Chicago
• Bin 36, Chicago
• Blackberry Farm, Walland, Tenn.
• California Grill at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
• Canlis, Seattle
• Emeril’s New Orleans
• Il Capriccio, Waltham, Mass.
• Kazimierz World Wine Bar, Scottsdale, Ariz.
• La Belle Vie, Minneapolis
• La Toque, Napa, Calif.
• Lacroix at the Rittenhouse, Philadelphia
• Le Bernardin, New York City
• Meritage, Boston
• Palme d’Or at Biltmore, Coral Gables, Fla.
• Park & Orchard, East Rutherford, N.J.
• Patina, Los Angeles
• Picasso at Bellagio, Las Vegas
• Sona, Los Angeles

For outstanding wine and spirits professional:

• David Adelsheim, Adelsheim Vineyard, Newberg, Ore.
• Mannie Berk, The Rare Wine Co., Sonoma, Calif.
• T.A. Breaux, Jade Liqueurs, Birmingham, Ala.
• Sam Calagione, Dogfish Head, Milton, Del.
• Dale DeGroff, Dale DeGroff Co., New York City
• Merry Edwards, Merry Edwards Wines, Sebastopol, Calif.
• Bob Foley, Robert Foley Vineyards, Angwin, Calif.
• Hubert Germain-Robin, Germain-Robin, Ukiah, Calif.
• Alex Golitzin, Quilceda Creek, Snohomish, Wash.
• Josh Jensen, Calera, Hollister, Calif.
• Jim Koch, The Boston Beer Company, Boston
• Celia Masyczek, Corra Wines, St. Helena, Calif.
• Stephen R. McCarthy, Clear Creek Distillery, Portland, Ore
• Garrett Oliver, The Brooklyn Brewery, Brooklyn, N.Y.
• John Shafer and Doug Shafer, Shafer Vineyards, Napa, Calif.
• Eric Solomon, Eric Solomon Selections, Charlotte, N.C.
• Anthony Terlato, Terlato Wine Group, Bannockburn, Ill.
• Todd Thrasher, Restaurant Eve, Alexandria, Va.
• Albert Trummer, Apotheke, New York City
• Julian P. Van Winkle, III, Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery, Louisville, Ky.

For outstanding service:

• Alan Wong’s Restaurant, Honolulu
• The American Restaurant, Kansas City, Mo.
• Brigtsen’s, New Orleans
• Cafe Juanita, Kirkland, Wash.
• Campanile, Los Angeles
• Canlis, Seattle
• Charleston Grill, Charleston, S.C.
• Courtright’s Restaurant, Willow Springs, Ill.
• Daniel, New York City
• The Dining Room at the Ritz-Carlton, Buckhead, Atlanta
• Emeril’s New Orleans
• La Grenouille, New York City
• La Mer at Halekulani, Honolulu
• Le Cirque at Bellagio, Las Vegas
• Nobhill Tavern at MGM Grand Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas
• Palme d’Or at Biltmore, Coral Gables, Fla.
• Pigalle, Boston
• Sanford, Milwaukee
• Spiaggia, Chicago
• Vetri, Philadelphia

For best chef, Pacific:

• Gino Angelini, Angelini Osteria, Los Angeles
• James Boyce, Studio at Montage Laguna Beach, Laguna Beach, Calif.
• Michael Cimarusti, Providence, Los Angeles
• Josiah Citrin, MŽlisse, Santa Monica, Calif.
• Chris Cosentino, Incanto, San Francisco
• Jeremy Fox, Ubuntu, Napa, Calif.
• Hiroshi Fukui, Hiroshi Eurasion Tapas, Honolulu
• Bev Gannon, Joe’s, Wailea, Hawaii
• Quinn Hatfield, Hatfield’s, Los Angeles
• Douglas Keane, Cyrus, Healdsburg, Calif.
• Loretta Keller, Coco500, San Francisco
• David Kinch, Manresa, Los Gatos, Calif.
• Chris Kobayashi, Artisan, Paso Robles, Calif.
• Christopher Kostow, The Restaurant at Meadowood, St. Helena, Calif.
• Peter Merriman, Merriman’s, Waimea, Hawaii
• David Myers, Sona, Los Angeles
• Daniel Patterson, Coi, San Francisco
• Gayle Pirie and John Clark, Foreign Cinema, San Francisco
• Craig Strong, The Dining Room at the Langham, Pasadena, Calif.
• Jason Travi, Fra”che, Culver City, Calif.

For best chef, Mid-Atlantic:

• Cathal Armstrong, Restaurant Eve, Alexandria, Va.
• Jim Burke, James, Philadelphia
• Steven Cameron, Blue, Surf City, N.J.
• Jay Caputo, Espuma, Rehoboth Beach, Del.
• Andrea Carbine, A Toute Heure, Cranford, N.J.
• Anthony Chittum, Vermilion, Alexandria, V.A.
• Melissa Close, Palladio at Barboursville Vineyards, Barboursville, V.A.
• Michael DiBianca, Moro, Wilmington, Del.
• Douglass Dick, Bona Terra, Sharpsburg, Pa.
• Jose Garces, Amada, Philadelphia
• Haidar Karoum, Proof, Washington, D.C.
• Peter Pastan, Obelisk, Washington, D.C.
• Tom Power, Corduroy, Washington, D.C.
• Maricel Presilla, Cucharamama, Hoboken, N.J.
• Charles "Chip" Roman, Blackfish, Conshohocken, Pa.
• Joe Romanowski, Bay Avenue Trattoria, Highlands, N.J.
• Michael Solomonov, Zahav, Philadelphia
• Vikram Sunderam, Rasika, Washington, D.C.
• Marcie Turney, Bindi, Philadelphia
• Cindy Wolf, Charleston, Baltimore

For best chef, Midwest:

• M.J. Adams, The Corn Exchange, Rapid City, S.D.
• Isaac Becker, 112 Eatery, Minneapolis
• Jennifer Coco, The Flatiron Cafe, Omaha, Neb.
• Gerard Craft, Niche, St. Louis
• George Formaro, Centro, Des Moines
• Josh Galliano, Monarch, St. Louis
• Colby Garrelts, Bluestem, Kansas City, Mo.
• Enosh Kelly, Bistro Montage, Des Moines
• Steve Logsdon, Basil Prosperi’s Lucca, Des Moines
• Tim McKee, La Belle Vie, Minneapolis
• Shinji Muramoto, Restaurant Muramoto, Madison, Wis.
• Kevin Nashan, Sidney Street Cafe, St. Louis
• Mike Odette, Sycamore, Columbia, Mo.
• Scott Pampuch, Corner Table, Minneapolis
• Alexander Roberts, Restaurant Alma, Minneapolis
• Derek Rowe, Harvest, Madison, Wis.
• Lenny Russo, Heartland, St. Paul, Minn.
• Jim Webster, Wild Rice, Bayfield, Wis.
• Stewart Woodman, Heidi’s Minneapolis
• Dominic Zumpano, Umami Moto, Milwaukee

For best chef, Great Lakes

• Ali Barker, Bistro on the Boulevard, St. Joseph, Mich.
• Zack Bruell, Parallax, Cleveland
• Suzy Crofton, Crofton on Wells, Chicago
• Christophe David, Nomi at Park Hyatt Chicago
• Jean-Robert de Cavel, Jean-Robert at Pigall’s, Cincinnati
• Luciano Del Signore, Bacco Ristorante, Southfield, Mich.
• Curtis Duffy, Avenues at the Peninsula Chicago
• Kendal Duque, Sepia, Chicago
• Koren Grieveson, Avec, Chicago
• Michael Maddox, Le Titi De Paris, Arlington Heights, Ill.
• Martial Noguier, CafŽ des Architectes at Sofitel Chicago Water Tower, Chicago
• Brian Polcyn, Five Lakes Grill, Milford, Mich.
• Arun Sampanthavivat, Arun’s, Chicago
• Bruce Sherman, North Pond, Chicago
• John Somerville, The Lark, West Bloomfield, Mich.
• Michael Symon, Lola, Cleveland
• David Tallent, Restaurant Tallent, Bloomington, Ind.
• Giuseppe Tentori, Boka, Chicago
• Paul Virant, Vie, Western Springs, Ill.
• Alex Young, Zingerman’s Roadhouse, Ann Arbor, Mich.

For best chef, New York City:

• Michael Anthony, Gramercy Tavern
• April Bloomfield, The Spotted Pig
• Terrance Brennan, Picholine
• Floyd Cardoz, Tabla
• Scott Conant, Scarpetta
• Wylie Dufresne, WD-50
• Caroline Fidanza, Marlow & Sons
• John Fraser, Dovetail
• Alexandra Guarnaschelli, Butter Restaurant
• Kurt Gutenbrunner, WallsŽ
• Gabrielle Hamilton, Prune
• Gabriel Kreuther, The Modern
• Mark Ladner, Del Posto
• Anita Lo, Annisa
• Michael Psilakis, Anthos
• Bill Telepan, Telepan
• Laurent Tourondel, BLT Market
• Michael White, Alto
• Naomichi Yasuda, Sushi Yasuda
• Galen Zamarra, Mas Farmhouse

For best chef, Northeast

• Mike Andrzejewski, Sea Bar, Buffalo, N.Y.
• Lara Atkins and Steve Atkins, The Kitchen Table Bistro, Richmond, Vt.
• Gabriel Bremer, Salts, Cambridge, Mass.
• Penelle Chase, Phoebe Chase, Megan Chase, and Ted Lafage, Chase's Daily, Belfast, Maine
• Rob Evans, Hugo's, Portland, Maine
• Gabriel Frasca and Amanda Lydon, Straight Wharf Restaurant, Nantucket, Mass.
• Clark Frasier and Mark Gaier, Arrows Restaurant, Ogunquit, Maine
• Rich Hanson, Cleonice, Ellsworth, Maine
• Brian Hill, Francine Bistro, Camden, Maine
• Andy Husbands, Tremont 647, Boston
• Steve Johnson, Rendezvous in Central Square, Cambridge, Mass.
• Peter Xavier Kelly, Xaviar's at Piermont, Piermont, N.Y.
• Michael LaScola, American Seasons, Nantucket, Mass.
• Michael Leviton, Lumire, West Newton, Mass.
• Tony Maws, Craigie On Main, Cambridge, Mass.
• Marc Orfaly, Pigalle, Boston
• Guy Reuge, Mirabelle, St. James, N.Y.
• Bruce Tillinghast, New Rivers, Providence
• Sai Viswanath, DeWolf Tavern, Bristol, R.I.
• Eric Warnstedt, Hen of the Wood, Waterbury, Vt.
  

For best chef, Northwest

• Chris Ainsworth, Saffron Mediterranean Kitchen, Walla Walla, Wash.
• Dustan Bristol, Brick 29 Bistro, Nampa, Id.
• Kevin Davis, Steelhead Diner, Seattle
• Matt Dillon, The Corson Building, Seattle
• Scott Dolich, Park Kitchen, Portland, Ore.
• Renee Erickson, Boat Street Cafe, Seattle
• Mark Fuller, Spring Hill, Seattle
• John Gorham, Toro Bravo, Portland, Ore.
• Maria Hines, Tilth, Seattle
• Joseba Jimenez de Jimenez, The Harvest Vine, Seattle
• Taichi Kitamura, Kappo, Seattle
• Daniel Mondok, Sel Gris, Portland, Ore.
• Naomi Pomeroy, Beast, Portland, Ore.
• Andy Ricker, Pok Pok and Whiskey Soda Lounge, Portland, Ore.
• Charlene Rollins, New Sammy’s Cowboy Bistro, Talent, Ore.
• Gabriel Rucker, Le Pigeon, Portland, Ore.
• Scott Staples, Restaurant Zo‘, Seattle
• Ethan Stowell, Union, Seattle
• Jason Wilson, Crush, Seattle
• Cathy Whims, Nostrana, Portland, Ore.

For best chef, Southeast:

• Hugh Acheson, Five and Ten, Athens, Ga.
• Arnaud Berthelier, The Dining Room at the Ritz-Carlton, Buckhead, Atlanta
• Sean Brock, McCrady's, Charleston, S.C.
• Damian Heath, Lot 12 Public House, Berkeley Springs, W.V.
• Mark Hibbs, Ratcliffe on the Green, Charlotte, N.C.
• Linton Hopkins, Restaurant Eugene, Atlanta
• Scott Howell, Nana's, Durham, N.C.
• Mike Lata, Fig, Charleston, S.C.
• Edward Lee, 610 Magnolia, Louisville, Ky.
• Daniel Lindley, St. John's Restaurant, Chattanooga, Tenn.
• Margot McCormack, Margot CafŽ & Bar, Nashville
• Ouita Michel, Holly Hill Inn, Midway, Ky.
• Bruce Moffett, Barrington’s Restaurant, Charlotte, N.C.
• Andrea Reusing, Lantern, Chapel Hill, N.C.
• Hector Santiago, Pura Vida, Atlanta
• Bill Smith, Crook's Corner, Chapel Hill, N.C.
• Chip Smith, Bonne Soiree, Chapel Hill, N.C.
• Ken Vedrinski, Sienna, Daniel Island, S.C.
• Bob Waggoner, Charleston Grill, Charleston, S.C.
• Tandy Wilson, City House, Nashville

For best chef, Southwest:

• Paul Bartolotta, Bartolotta Ristorante di Mare at Wynn Las Vegas
• Kevin Binkley, Binkley’s Restaurant, Cave Creek, Ariz.
• James Campbell Caruso, La Boca, Santa Fe
• Bryan Caswell, Reef, Houston
• Saipin Chutima, Lotus of Siam, Las Vegas
• Tyson Cole, Uchi, Austin, Texas
• Eric DiStefano, Coyote Cafe, Santa Fe
• Marc Ehrler, The Ventana Room at Loews Ventana Canyon Resort, Tucson, Ariz.
• Mark Fischer, Restaurant Six89, Carbondale, Colo.
• Sharon A. Hage, York Street, Dallas
• Ryan Hardy, Montagna at the Little Nell, Aspen, Colo.
• Claude Le Tohic, Joe Robuchon at the Mansion at MGM Grand Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas
• Kelly Liken, Kelly Liken, Vail, Colo.
• Beau MacMillan, Elements at Sanctuary Camelback Mountain Resort and Spa, Paradise Valley, Ariz.
• Paul Petersen, Cafe Cenizo, Marathon, Texas
• Armando Pomales, Cafe Central, El Paso, Texas
• Alex Seidel, Fruition Restaurant, Denver
• Damon Simonton, Chef Damon’s, Taos, N.M.
• John Tesar, The Mansion Restaurant at Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek, Dallas
• Andrew Weissman, Le Reve, San Antonio

For best chef, South:

• Derek Barnes, Derek’s Culinary Casual, Sarasota, Fla.
• Zach Bell, Cafe Boulud at the Brazilian Court, Palm Beach, Fla.
• Scott Boswell, Stella!, New Orleans
• Aaron Burgau, Patois, New Orleans
• John Currence, City Grocery, Oxford, Miss.
• Derek Emerson, Walker’s Drive-In, Jackson, Miss.
• Tom Gray, Bistro Aix, Jacksonville, Fla.
• Zack Gross, Z Grille, St. Petersburg, Fla.
• John Harris, Lilette, New Orleans
• Christopher Hastings, Hot and Hot Fish Club, Birmingham, Ala.
• Scott Hunnel, Victoria & Albert’s at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Orlando, Fla.
• Philip Krajeck, Fish Out of Water at WaterColor Inn & Resort, Santa Rosa Beach, Fla.
• Edgar Leal, Cacao Restaurant, Coral Gables, Fla.
• Dean James Max, 3030 Ocean, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
• Lee Richardson, Ashley’s, Capital Hotel, Little Rock, Ark.
• Douglas Rodriguez, Ola, Miami Beach, Fla.
• Jeanie Roland, The Perfect Caper, Punta Gorda, Fla.
• Philippe Ruiz, Palme d’Or at Biltmore, Coral Gables, Fla.
• Michael Schwartz, Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink, Miami
• David Solazzo and Torre Solazzo, Ristorante Del Porto, Covington, La.