Wilmington chef advances to finalist round for Outstanding Chef in the James Beard awards

Allison Ballard, Wilmington StarNews
·2 min read

Chef Dean Neff of Seabird restaurant in downtown Wilmington is advancing in the James Beard Awards. Earlier this year, Neff became the first local chef to be named as a semifinalist in the Outstanding Chef category in what’s often called the Oscars of the culinary world. In previous years, Neff has also been nominated in the Best Chef: Southeast category.

"What an absolute honor! We are so excited to attend the ceremony in June," Neff said.

The James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards ceremony takes place June 10 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago where the winners will be announced. In the Outstanding Chef category, Neff is joined by the other four nominees: Sarah Minnick or Lovely’s Fifty Fifty in Portland, Oregon; Michael Rafidi of Albi in Washington, D.C.; Renee Touponce of The Port of Call in Mystic, Connecticut; and David Uygur of Lucia in Dallas.

Two other North Carolina chefs and restaurants also advanced, according to a Wednesday release from the James Beard Foundation. Crawford and Son in Raleigh is a nominee in the Outstanding Hospitality category. And Chef Jamie Davis of The Hackney in Washington, N.C., advanced in the Best Chef: Southeast category. (Davis will join Chef Keith Rhodes of Catch at a demonstration at The Seasoned Gourmet in Wilmington this month.)

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Chef Dean Neff, at his restaurant, Seabird in downtown Wilmington, NC. Neff who was recently long-listed for Outstanding Chef in the James Beard Awards is one of the few NC chefs to receive this honor. KEN BLEVINS/STARNEWS
Chef Dean Neff, at his restaurant, Seabird in downtown Wilmington, NC. Neff who was recently long-listed for Outstanding Chef in the James Beard Awards is one of the few NC chefs to receive this honor. KEN BLEVINS/STARNEWS

Neff said the James Beard awards offers both a platform and a relationship to the larger hospitality community.

"I am reminded that the only way to sustain the challenges of the hospitality industry is to work to learn and improve every day," he said. "As an independent restaurant we will work to lift up our team, our farmers, nonprofits that support our local community, and people in need in and beyond our community. I am beyond grateful."

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Allison Ballard is the food and dining reporter at the StarNews. You can reach her at aballard@gannett.com. 

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Wilmington, NC, chef from Seabird advances in the James Beard awards