"The Outstanding Restaurateur category featured a Bay Area heavyweight couple in Stuart Brioza and Nicole Krasinski, who own the Anchovy Bar, the Progress and State Bird Provisions, which are all in San Francisco. Others that made the list include Srijith Gopinathan and Ayesha Thapar of Ettan in Palo Alto, Copra in San Francisco and Eylan in Menlo Park. Monique and Paul Feybesse of Oakland's Tarts de Feybesse got a nod for Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker."
"Other noteworthy semifinalists: The Happy Crane, one of the most highly anticipated restaurants of 2025, made the Best New Restaurant cut, while the Valley Club, which opened inside Hotel G in San Francisco's Union Square last summer, got a Best New Bar nod. Steve Joo of Joodooboo, the hyper-seasonal Korean vegetarian eatery in Oakland, was recognized in the Emerging Chef category."
Northern California secured 23 semifinalist nods in 13 categories at the James Beard Foundation's 2026 Restaurant and Chef Awards, plus one semifinalist in Auburn. The Bay Area previously had 22 nominations last year and 17 in 2024. The James Beard Foundation's annual list covers categories from beverage service to pastry chefs and new restaurants. Stuart Brioza and Nicole Krasinski were semifinalists in Outstanding Restaurateur, alongside Srijith Gopinathan and Ayesha Thapar, Copra and Eylan; Monique and Paul Feybesse received a pastry chef or baker nod. The Happy Crane made Best New Restaurant, the Valley Club earned a Best New Bar nod, Steve Joo was recognized as an Emerging Chef, and Northern California claimed 10 of 20 semifinalists in Best Chef: California, including Harrison Cheney, Sarah Cooper, Alan Hsu and Kosuke Tada.
Read at SFGATE
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