Six faces, places, and programs in the Kansas City culinary scene were named James Beard Award semifinalists on Wednesday.
To win—or even come close to—a James Beard Award is one of the top culinary honors in the United States. Semifinalists are considered the top 20 in their fields; nominees (to be chosen on April 2) are the top five; and winners (to be chosen on June 16) are the very best.
The semifinalists in the KC Metro are:
Best Chef: Midwest
- Linda Duerr: The Restaurant at 1900 (Mission Woods)
- Johnny Leach: The Town Company (Kansas City, Missouri)
- Katie Liu-Sung: Chewology in (Kansas City, Missouri)
Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker
- Helen Jo Leach: The Town Company (Kansas City, Missouri)
Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service
- Jay Sanders: Wild Child (Shawnee)
Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program
- JJ’s Restaurant (Kansas City, Missouri)
A couple of nominees are within a short drive of the metro. John Brown’s Underground in Lawrence, Kansas, was named a semifinalist for Outstanding Bar, and Rozz Petrozz (chef of Saltwell Farm Kitchen in Overbrook, Kansas) was named a semifinalist for Best Chef: Midwest.