James Beard Awards named 7 KC area semifinalists. The next round isn’t as kind
The James Beard Foundation announced the finalists for its 2024 awards Wednesday.
But … none of the seven Kansas City area restaurants and chefs who had previously been named semifinalists made the cut.
The only Missouri finalist is St. Louis chef Rob Connoley, of Bulrush, who is nominated for Best Chef: Midwest.
Back in January, three Kansas City area chefs and restaurants were nominated in national categories:
▪ Affäre for Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program. The contemporary German restaurant in the Crossroads opened in 2012.
▪ Drastic Measures for Outstanding Bar. The Shawnee cocktail lounge was a finalist in 2023 for the same honor.
▪ Jeff Workman of The Campground for Best Emerging Chef. Workman was previously executive sous chef at Corvino Supper Club & Tasting Room before moving to the West Bottoms New American restaurant in 2023.
And four Kansas City area chefs had been nominated in the Best Chef: Midwest category:
▪ Romain Monnoyeur of the French bistro Westport Cafe.
▪ Katie Liu-Sung of the Taiwanese street food restaurant Chewology.
▪ Johnny Leach of The Town Company, a Midwestern fine-dining destination in the Hotel Kansas City.
▪ Rozz Petrozz of Saltwell Farm Kitchen — a farm-to-table kitchen in rural Overbrook, Kansas, about an hour west of Kansas City.
The awards ceremony will be held Monday, June 10, in Chicago. KC’s Yoli Tortilleria took home an award last year for Outstanding Bakery.
