Seven Phoenix and Scottsdale Chefs Are on the James Beard Awards Semifinalists List

Seven Phoenix and Scottsdale chefs are on the list of this year’s James Beard Awards Semifinalists, with 12 total places and individuals getting recognition in Arizona.

These chefs and restaurants in Phoenix got attention from the awards body:

• Armando Hernandez and Nadia Holguin of Cocina Chiwas and Tacos Chiwas in Tempe and Phoenix were named in the Outstanding Restaurateur category.
• Ava Bakery was named in the Best New Restaurant category.
• Crystal Kass of Valentine got a nod for Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker.
• Little Rituals, Phoenix, AZ appears in the Outstanding Bar category.
• In the Best Chef Southwest category, Rene Andrade of Bacanora and Pornsupak “Cat” Bunnag of Glai Baan both made the long list.
• Andreoli Italian Grocer of Scottsdale, AZ is a contender in the Outstanding Hospitality category.

Meanwhile, elsewhere in Arizona:

• Roberto Centeno of Espiritu in Mesa was mentioned in the Emerging Chef category.
• Two Tucson chefs are also in the Best Chef Southwest category, including Wendy Garcia of Tumerico and Flavia Briones of Barista Del Barrio. Sam Greenhalgh of Forêt in Flagstaff and Claudio Urciuoli of Source in Gilbert were also named.

This larger list will be narrowed down to a list of finalists on Wednesday, April 3. Winners will be announced at a gala event on Monday, June 10 in Chicago.

Last year, six Phoenix area chefs were on the semifinalist lists but none were ultimately named as finalists.