James Beard Award Nominees Announced
DMV Restaurants, Chefs Earn 2 Dozen Nominations
The James Beard Foundation announced its 2025 semifinalists on Wednesday with 24 DMV chefs and restaurants on the list. Finalists will be named on April 2, and winners will be revealed at a June 16 ceremony in Chicago.
Amy Brandwein, chef and owner of Centrolina in CityCenter DC, is nominated for Best Chef in the 2025 James Beard Awards.
(Photo: Scott Suchman)
The James Beard Awards are known as the “Oscars” of the American restaurant industry. Just making the semifinals is a big deal.
The 35th anniversary of the Chef and Restaurant Awards marks an expansion into three new categories focused on beverages: Best New Bar, Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service and Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service.
In 2024, D.C. cleaned up at the Beard Awards last year with some big wins: Albi’s Michael Rafidi took home Outstanding Chef, while Perry’s chef Masako Morishita won Rising Star. Harley Peet of Bas Rouge on the Eastern Shore took home Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic.
The DMV’s 2025 semi-finalists are listed below. The full list can be found here.
The medal given to James Beard Award winners in 2019. (Photo: Eliesa Johnson/James Beard Foundation)
Outstanding Restaurateur
Scott Drewno and Danny Lee
The Fried Rice Collective (Anju, Chiko and I Egg You)
Washington, D.C.
Outstanding Chef
Amy Brandwein
Centrolina
Washington, D.C
Outstanding Restaurant
The Dabney
Washington, D.C
Emerging Chef
Paolo Dungca
Hiraya
Washington, D.C.
Best New Restaurant
Maude & the Bear
Staunton, Va.
Mita
Washington, D.C.
Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker
Susan Bae
Moon Rabbit
Washington, D.C.
Outstanding Hospitality
Tail Up Goat
Washington, D.C
Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program
Charleston
Baltimore, Md.
Best New Bar
Bar Cana
Washington, D.C.
Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service
Andra “AJ” Johnson
Serenata
Washington, D.C.
Dre Levon
Clavel
Baltimore, Md.
Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic (DC, DE, MD, NJ, PA, VA)
Matt Adler
Cucina Morini
Washington, D.C.
Henji Cheung
Queen’s English
Washington, D.C.
Matt Conroy and Isabel Coss
Pascual
Washington, D.C.
Michael Correll
Ruse
St. Michaels, Md.
Carlos Delgado
Causa and Amazonia
Washington, D.C.
Ruben Garcia
Casa Teresa
Washington, D.C.
Fernando Gonzalez
2Fifty Barbeque
Riverdale, Md. and Washington, D.C.
Jasmine Norton
The Urban Oyster
Baltimore, Md.
Cagla Onal Urel
Green Almond Pantry
Washington, D.C.
Jarad Slipp
Tremolo
Middleburg, Va.
