As newly minted New Orleans residents, we are thrilled to see 13 New Orleans chefs and restaurants make the semifinalist round of the 2025 James Beard Foundation Awards. Final nominees will be announced April 2, and the winners will be announced at an awards ceremony in Chicago on June 16.

We’ve dined at or visited most of the semifinalists’ venues and have interviewed a number as well. Here is the list.  Congratulations to all!

Outstanding Restaurant: GW Fins Located in the French quarter, GW Fins is a seafood restaurant led by Michael Nelson. This is a restaurant we always recommend to visitors seeking a quality fine dining experience in the French Quarter. The fish is fresh and creatively prepared. The “starter” biscuits are irresistible.

Outstanding Restaurateur: Mason Hereford of Turkey and the Wolf, Hungry Eyes, Molly’s Rise and Shine, and Hot Stuff. Original, creative and fun- that is what Hereford’s restaurants deliver.

Outstanding Hospitality: Nina Compton’s Compère Lapin.  Compton’s Caribbean roots shine through at this restaurant located downtown near the Convention Center. Compton also owns Babs in the Bywater.

Best New Restaurant: Porgy’s Seafood Market in Mid-City is a seafood market with a few dining tables. Lunch only. We’ve dined there once on fresh crabs and seafood gumbo. It warrants another visit to try Porgy’s signature muffulettu sandwich, a fresh baked seeded loaf stuffed with Gulf tuna conserva, olives, giardiniera salad & pecorino cheese with basil & an anchovy aioli

Outstanding Bar: Chandelier Bar, the bar at the Four Seasons Hotel New Orleans. This is a stunning bar with small bites food menu conceived by Chef -Restaurateur Alon Shaya. French 75 made with Cognac and truffle fries are Melanie’s favorite combination.

Outstanding Wine Bar and Other Beverages: Pluck Wine Bar, CBD/Arts District.

Outstanding Bakery: Bellegarde Bakery is an employee-owned bakery in Mid-City focusing on artisan breads.

Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service: Abigail Gullo of LOA Bar in the International Hotel. This is a new award category which honors beverage professionals who “create and serve cocktails or other offerings such as low- and non-alcoholic beverages.” We love Miss Abigail and are rooting for her.

Emerging Chef A chef who displays exceptional talent, character, and leadership ability, and who is likely to make a significant impact in years to come: Kaitlin Guerin, Lagniappe Bakehouse. This small bakery and patisserie is located in Central City near the Southern Food and Beverage Museum.

Best Chef, South (covering Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Puerto Rico): Five chefs are New Orleans semifinalists: Melissa Araujo, chef/owner of Alma Cafe (Bywater), Ana Castro, chef /co-owner of Acamaya (Bywater),  Nicole Cabrera Mills, chef de cuisine at Pêche (CBD), and Arvinder Vilkhu and Ashwin Vilkhu, the father-and-son duo at family-run Saffron Nola (Uptown/Magazine Street).

At last year’s 2024 James Beard Foundation Awards, Dakar NOLA, a Senegalese restaurant with a tasting menu was named Best New Restaurant. Jewel of the South was named Outstanding Bar.

Here is the press release announcing all 2025 James Beard Awards Semifinalists: 2025 James Beard Awards Semifinalists Announcement Jan 22 2025-1.pdf

Established in 1990 with the first awards given in 1991, the James Beard Awards® are among the nation’s most prestigious honors recognizing leaders in the culinary and food media industries, and those in the broader food systems. All James Beard Award winners receive a certificate and a medallion engraved with the James Beard Foundation Awards insignia. www.jamesbeard.org