Two Salt Lake City chefs named James Beard Award finalists
SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — The finalists of the 2024 James Beard Awards were announced Wednesday, April 4, and two Utah chefs made the cut.
The two chefs were nominated for best chef in the Mountain Region category, which encompasses Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Utah and Wyoming.
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The James Beard Awards are seen like the Oscars of the restaurant world, with the mission to recognize “exceptional talent and achievement in the culinary arts”.
One of the finalists from Salt Lake City is Nick Zocco, the executive chef of Urban Hill, which has been open for just over a year in the newly built Post District.
In an interview with ABC4, Zocco said when he grew up, he always knew he wanted to be a chef, and has spent over 20 years in the industry working in restaurants in New Mexico, Las Vegas and Utah.
He was excited to be a part of the team as Urban Hill opened.
Executive Chef Nick Zocco of Urban Hill. (Courtesy Carla Boecklin) Executive Chef Nick Zocco of Urban Hill. (Courtesy Carla Boecklin) Food from Urban Hill’s menu. (Courtesy Carla Boecklin) Food from Urban Hill’s menu. (Courtesy Carla Boecklin) Food from Urban Hill’s menu. (Courtesy Carla Boecklin) Food from Urban Hill’s menu. (Courtesy Carla Boecklin) Food from Urban Hill’s menu. (Courtesy Carla Boecklin) Food from Urban Hill’s menu. (Courtesy Carla Boecklin) Food from Urban Hill’s menu. (Courtesy Carla Boecklin) Food from Urban Hill’s menu. (Courtesy Carla Boecklin)
Zocco said at Urban Hill, they pride themselves in keeping everything fresh.
“It’s a very diverse menu, I think there’s something for everybody. It’s one of those restaurants I think Salt Lake was really wanting to have. I think the upscale side of it as well as the innovation we have with our team is pretty incredible,” he said.
With this recent nomination, he said he’s at a loss for words.
“I just wanted to be part of the Salt Lake culinary scene, which is one reason my wife and I moved to Salt Lake because I could tell that Salt Lake was on the verge of just explosion…New restaurants, new buildings, more people moving in. I felt like that was the dining scene that I wanted to be part of and really change. I’m just ecstatic about the whole thing, honestly,” he said.
Zocco said he’s proud of the whole team who made this happen, especially in such a short amount of time since Urban Hill opened.
“It’s amazing. I’m super happy for the whole team. Everybody has worked super hard for this, and to be the leader of the pack, it just feels great,” Zocco said. “…Just being able to say we’ve been nominated as finalists is incredible.”
The other Salt Lake City finalist is a returning nominee from last year’s James Beard Awards, Ali Sabbah at Mazza Cafe, a restaurant known for making authentic Middle Eastern cuisine since the year 2000. You can find them in the 15th and 15th neighborhood.
Online, the restaurant said they serve items like Falafel, Shawarma, Kebabs, and lamb shank on their menu. They write that they make their food from scratch, with fresh, high-quality ingredients.
Other nominees in the Best Chef Mountain Region include:
Brandon Cunningham, Social Haus, Greenough, MT
Matt Vawter, Rootstalk, Breckenridge, CO
Penelope Wong, Yuan Wonton, Denver, CO
Winners will be announced on June 10 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.
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