Two Midlands restaurants named finalists for distinguished James Beard Awards. What to know
A Columbia wine parlor and the owner of a West Columbia barbecue hot spot have been named finalists for some of the biggest honors in the culinary world.
The James Beard Foundation announced its finalist award nominees on Wednesday morning. Columbia’s Lula Drake Wine Parlour is in the running for Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program, while Robbie Robinson, of City Limits Barbecue in West Columbia, is a finalist for Best Chef - Southeast.
Winners of the restaurant and chef James Beard Awards will be announced in a June 10 ceremony at the Lyric Opera in Chicago.
In January, Kitwanda “Kiki” Cyrus and Tyrone Cyrus, of Columbia’s Kiki’s Chicken and Waffles, also were nominated as semifinalists for Best Chef - Southeast in this year’s Beard Awards. However, they did not move on to the finalist round on Wednesday morning.
This marked the second consecutive year that Columbia had three semifinalists in the running. The 2023 semifinalists included City Grit Hospitality Group’s Sarah Simmons, Aaron Hoskins and Elie Yigo; Jessica Shillato of Spotted Salamander Cafe and Catering; and Lula Drake, which was nominated for Outstanding Hospitality the first time around. Both Lula Drake and City Grit advanced to the finalist round in 2023.
After long looking on as neighboring Charleston and Greenville gathered Beard honors, this was the first time Columbia had nominees in back-to-back years.
The James Beard Foundation Awards were established in 1990 and, according to the foundation’s website, “are among the nation’s most prestigious honors recognizing leaders in the culinary and food media industries, and those in the broader food systems.” Beard, himself, was a culinary expert and prolific cookbook author who helped pioneer cooking on television.
Robinson started City Limits as a food truck back in 2016, and the business made a name for itself with both Texas and Carolina style barbecue. Then, in 2023, City Limits found a more permanent, brick-and-mortar location on Methodist Park Road in West Columbia.
Per the James Beard Awards, the Best Chef honors will be presented to those who “set high standards in their culinary skills and leadership abilities, and who are making efforts to help create a sustainable work culture in their respective regions while contributing positively to their broader community.”
Robinson was thrilled to learn of the finalist announcement and said City Limits has continued to work hard to serve customers during the award season.
“What my mind keeps going back to right now is that we had secret judges (for Beard) come in and they got served the same food as everybody else,” Robinson said. “I’ve said this before, it doesn’t matter if you are a VIP or a hobo, you will get the same food and level of service. This (nomination) speaks volumes about my crew and how they execute it. I’m excited for the family, for my crew and for the customers.”
Gardner opened Lula Drake in November 2016, and in the years since it has become widely known for its unique, precisely curated wine offerings. The cozy, tony wine bar and restaurant has been a popular draw in the 1600 block of Columbia’s Main Street, perhaps the key block in the revitalization of Main Street that has accelerated in the last decade-plus.
According to the Beard Awards, the Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program honor will be presented to an establishment “that demonstrates exceptional care and skill in the pairing of wine and other beverages with food while contributing positively to its broader community.” That would include “the selection, preparation, and serving of wine, cocktails, spirits, coffee, tea, beer or any other beverage with outstanding hospitality and service that help inform and enhance a customer’s appreciation of the beverages.”
Gardner said his phone was inundated with calls and text messages Wednesday morning after the Beard finalists were announced. He said it means much to him for Lula Drake to be on the wine and beverages list with other finalists from places such as San Francisco; Anaheim; Washington, D.C.; and Buffalo.
“To be in this group of nominees is really humbling and, quite frankly, overwhelming,” Gardner said. “When you look at that list, and see Columbia alongside those cities, it’s just amazing. The staff here is over the moon. We are really going to enjoy this one.”
Other South Carolina James Beard finalists include James London, of Charleston’s Chubby Fish, for Best Chef - Southeast and Nikko Cagalanan, of Charleston’s Kultura, for Emerging Chef.
