The announcement of the 2025 James Beard Award semifinalists highlights the recognition of L.A. and Orange County culinary talent, with nearly 20 semifinalists making waves in various categories. This annual award ceremony is critical in the industry, leading to the final ceremony in June in Chicago. Notable chefs like Lord Maynard Llera and Justin Pichetrungsi have secured recognition in previous years. Many chefs expressed gratitude for the acknowledgment, particularly during tough times for restaurants, making the moment feel like a silver lining in a challenging industry landscape.
"It's nuts," Algorri said of the news. "It's a little overwhelming. And it's really appreciated at a time when things are very difficult for restaurants. It's a little bit of a silver lining, it's generally an all-around warm feeling."
This morning some of the country's top chefs, restaurants and beverage professionals garnered industry-wide recognition with the announcement of the 2025 James Beard Award's semifinalists.
Today L.A.-area chefs saw recognition in nearly every category, and in 2025 roughly one-third of the state's contenders for best chef are cooking in Los Angeles. Last year, Kuya Lord chef-owner Lord Maynard Llera was named the best chef in California.
Other new semifinalists in the category include Baroo's Kwang Uh, though a previous version of Baroo was a semifinalist for the 2016 best new restaurant.
Collection
[
|
...
]