2024 James Beard Awards semifinalists include a bar, a restaurant and a chef in Baltimore

The world may still be talking about yesterday’s Academy Awards nominations — and snubs — but the James Beard Foundation is already here with a new list of talent to discuss.

On Wednesday morning, the foundation unveiled the semifinalists for the 2024 James Beard Awards, considered the Oscars of the restaurant industry, and Baltimore’s dining scene got a few nods on the list.

David Zamudio, the head chef at Alma Cocina Latina, is in the running this year for Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic, while frequent James Beard nominee Charleston is a semifinalist in the Outstanding Hospitality category. Clavel Mezcaleria was named on the Outstanding Bar semifinalist list.

Charleston, the Harbor East fine dining spot known for Southern cuisine with a French influence, was a semifinalist for Outstanding Hospitality last year, as well, but didn’t make it to the finalist round. Clavel was a semifinalist in the Outstanding Bar Program category in 2019 and 2020, and the taqueria’s chef and co-owner, Carlos Raba, was a Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic semifinalist in 2022.

So far, only one Baltimore chef has taken home the honor. Spike Gjerde, of Woodberry Kitchen, won the Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic award in 2015.

Clavel co-owner Lane Harlan is hopeful the third time will be the charm for her Remington restaurant. She called the mezcaleria “arguably the first and certainly the longest running mezcal tasting room in the United States” and said her team is focused on education and supporting producers.

“We’ve been visiting Oaxaca and various other states in Mexico with our bar team for more than a decade,” Harlan wrote in an email. “Our goal is to make mezcal accessible to our Baltimore community while at the same time supporting the producers and brands that value transparency.”

Finalists in each category will be announced April 3, and the winners will be revealed in a ceremony scheduled for June 10 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.

Outside of Baltimore, two more Maryland chefs are in the running to be named best chef in the Mid-Atlantic. Tony Conte, of Inferno Pizzeria Napoletana in Darnestown, is a semifinalist in the category, as is Harvey Peet, of Easton’s contemporary European restaurant Bas Rouge.

This article may be updated.