Tampa Bay restaurants receive zero James Beard nominations

It’s been less than a year since Tampa Bay restaurants were snubbed out of Michelin stars during the guide’s first trip to Florida, and 2023’s James Beard nominations are no different.

Yesterday, the prestigious culinary organization announced semifinalists for its annual awards, which are separated by region and category—and not one Bay area restaurant or chef made the cut.

Local chefs were also shutout of the Beard awards last year. In fact, last time Tampa Bay received love from the James Beard foundation was in 2019, when Edison: Food + Drink Lab’s Jeannie Pierola and The Library’s Rachel Bennett were chosen as semifinalists for “Rising Star Chef” and “Best Chef in the South.” In 2017, the foundation named Rooster & the Till’s Ferrell Alvarez, Chris Ponte and Columbia’s Richard Gonzmart among its semifinalists.

Florida wasn’t completely shutout this year though.

Miami’s Alpareno Restaurant Group got nominated for “Outstanding Restauranteur” and Orlando chef Henry Moso of Kabooki Sushi might be named the “Best Chef” in the South. In addition to various nominations in Miami and Orlando, restaurants in South Florida cities like Palm Beach Gardens, West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale and Doral and are home to several 2023 James Beard semifinalists.
The full list of 2023’s James Beard finalists can be found at jamesbeard.org—and we can always look forward to next year when new concepts might draw more attention or accolades.

Later this year, our neighbors in Orlando—Jimmy and Johnny Tung of Bento Asian Kitchen + Sushi, Korean restaurant Doshi and modern Vietnamese eatery Camille—are bringing their high-end Japanese restaurant Kōsen to Tampa Heights later this year. Its executive chef, Wei Chen, has helmed the kitchen at NYC’s Masa, a 3-Michelin star concept, for the past six years.

Several Michelin-starred chefs have also brought their expertise and award-winning menus to Tampa Bay lately.

John Fraser, who earned Michelin stars in New York, helms the kitchen at Tampa EDITION’s newly-opened restaurants, while accomplished chef and restaurateur Joe Isidori champions his Sparkman Wharf concepts JoDog and JoToro.

This article appears in Jan 26 – Feb 1, 2023.