Vida, Bridges Wine Bar chefs make James Beard awards list

Cheryl V. Jackson, Indianapolis Star
Updated ·3 min read

The country’s top culinary organization has recognized two Indiana chefs as being among the nation’s best.

Thomas Melvin, executive chef at Vida in Indianapolis and Sal Fernandez, executive chef of Bridges Craft Pizza & Wine Bar in Greencastle, were named semifinalists Wednesday morning for James Beard Foundation awards, considered the Oscars of the culinary world.

Vida, 601 E. New York St. in Indianapolis, was ranked #37 on Yelp's 10th annual Top 100 Places to Eat list.
Vida, 601 E. New York St. in Indianapolis, was ranked #37 on Yelp's 10th annual Top 100 Places to Eat list.

Melvin and Fernandez are in Best Chef in the Great Lakes region category.

They are among a field of chefs from 20 restaurants in the region that includes Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Ohio.

Who are the semifinalists in the James Beard Best Chef category in the Great Lakes region?

  • Avishar Barua, Joya’s, Worthington, Ohio

  • Erik Bentz and Elaine Uykimpang Bentz, Cafe Mochiko, Cincinnati, Ohio

  • Vinnie Cimino, Cordelia, Cleveland, Ohio

  • Diana Dávila Boldin, Mi Tocaya Antojería, Chicago, Illinois

  • Salvador Fernandez, Bridges Craft Pizza & Wine Bar, Greencastle, Indiana

  • Joe Fontelera, Boonie’s Filipino Restaurant, Chicago, Illinois

  • Joe Frillman, Daisies, Chicago, Illinois

  • Jeffery Harris, Nolia Kitchen, Cincinnati, Ohio

  • Doug Hewitt, Freya, Detroit, Michigan

  • Ji Hye Kim, Miss Kim, Ann Arbor, Michigan

  • Dan Klenotic, Bellflower, Ypsilanti, Michigan

  • BJ Lieberman, Chapman's Eat Market, Columbus, Ohio

  • James Martin, Bocadillo Market, Chicago, Illinois

  • Thomas Melvin, Vida, Indianapolis, Indiana

  • Jose Salazar, Mita’s, Cincinnati, Ohio

  • Sujan Sarkar, Indienne, Chicago, Illinois

  • Hajime Sato, Sozai, Clawson, Michigan

  • Jenner Tomaska, Esme, Chicago, Illinois

  • John Yelinek, Ladder 4 Wine Bar, Detroit, Michigan

  • Donald Young, Duck Sel, Chicago, Illinois

This is Melvin’s second time making the chef semifinalists list.

The Indiana native was the lone representative of the state in any Beard award category in 2022.

Thomas Melvin, executive chef at Vida, 601 E. New York St., Indianapolis.
Thomas Melvin, executive chef at Vida, 601 E. New York St., Indianapolis.

Melvin was executive chef at Union 50 before joining Vida in 2017. Both restaurants are part of the Cunningham Restaurant Group.

The nod for Fernandez follows his efforts to raise Indiana’s culinary profile.

A seven-course dinner at Bridges Wine Bar was one of about 30 Friends of James Beard Benefit events taking place across the country last year.

“It has been a long time since the James Beard Foundation has come to Indiana,”  Fernandez said.

The last James Beard dinner event in Indiana had been in 2018, and also at Bridges and prepared alongside chef Greg Hardesty, who helped to usher in Indianapolis’ contemporary food scene.

Fernandez is a French-trained chef, a Culinary Institute of America graduate who grew up in Napa.

Sal Fernandez is executive chef at Bridges Craft Pizza & Wine Bar in Greencastle, Indiana.
Sal Fernandez is executive chef at Bridges Craft Pizza & Wine Bar in Greencastle, Indiana.

The France Meets Indiana-themed showcase had Fernandez collaborating with Jeremiah Clark, who worked at The French Laundry and the Cunningham Restaurant Group before operating his Grace Truck mobile restaurant based in Zionsville.

Bacon-wrapped prawns at Bridges Craft Pizza & Wine Bar.
Bacon-wrapped prawns at Bridges Craft Pizza & Wine Bar.

Indiana has seen its chefs struggle to get past semifinalist status.

Several Indy-area chefs have been in the running for the best chef award in the Great Lakes region, but topped out in the 20-person semifinalists field.

Past James Beard semifinalists, Great Lakes region:

  • Sal Fernandez of Bridges Wine Bar (2024)

  • Thomas Melvin of Vida (2022, 2024)

  • Abbi Merriss, of Bluebeard (2016-2020, 2023)

  • Samir Mohammad, of 9th Street Bistro in Noblesville (2023)

  • Steven Oakley, of Oakleys Bistro (2008, 2011, 2018, 2019)

  • Jonathan Brooks, of Milktooth (2016, 2017)

  • Micah Frank, of Black Market (2015)

  • Regina Mehallick, of R Bistro, (2010- 2014)

  • Neal Brown, of The Libertine Liquor Bar, (2013, 2014)

Alan Sternberg was a semifinalist for Rising Star Chef of the Year in 2016 and 2018; meanwhile, Beholder was a semifinalist for Outstanding Wine Program in 2020 and Bluebeard was a semifinalist for Best New Restaurant in 2013.

Chicago-area chefs typically take many of the finalist spots in the region, but Indy chefs have watched as those from other states have landed among the five finalists.

The finalists for the category will be announced in March 29, and winners will be announced in Chicago on June 10.

Contact IndyStar reporter Cheryl V. Jackson at cheryl.jackson@indystar.com or 317-444-6264. Follow her on X.com: @cherylvjackson.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Chefs at Vida and Bridges Wine Bar up for James Beard award