Awards season is upon us — no, not that awards season. The James Beard Foundation on Wednesday released its list of semifinalists for their prestigious culinary awards; over a dozen San Franciscans are in the running. A comeback feels promising following 2025, when not a single San Francisco-based chef or restaurant took home a prize.
Here are the local chefs and restaurateurs up for James Beard awards this spring.
Stuart Brioza and Nicole Krasinski, the husband-wife duo behind restaurant group Atomic Workshop, have been nominated for Outstanding Restaurateur. It’s difficult to stumble upon a local recommendations list that doesn’t include one of their three restaurants: The Progress, State Bird Provisions, and The Anchovy Bar. The Progress is also a semifinalist for Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program.
The Atomic Workshop folks are up against another local duo, Srijith Gopinathan and Ayesa Thapar. These restaurateurs own South Indian restaurant Copra on Fillmore St., as well as Ettan in Palo Alto and Eylan in Menlo Park.
Michael Tusk, chef-owner of Jackson Square fine dining restaurant Quince has been nominated for Outstanding Chef. He also owns two other Jackson Square restaurants: Italian restaurant Cotogna and buzzy wine bar Verjus.
Mission District Pinterest-approved restaurant Foreign Cinema has been nominated for Outstanding Restaurant.
One of the city’s hardest-to-obtain reservations, The Happy Crane, has been nominated for Best New Restaurant.
When it comes to Outstanding Hospitality, one San Francisco institution is first of mind for locals and the Foundation alike: House of Prime Rib. The old-school steakhouse recently lost its longtime owner, Joe Betz, though this nod suggests that his legacy of outstanding service remains intact.
Another SF staple, the tiki bar Smuggler’s Cove, has been nominated for Outstanding Bar. And as far as newcomers go, Union Square’s swanky new lounge The Valley Club is in the running for Best New Bar.
Sommelier Paul Einbund, the founder of Potrero Hill bistro The Morris, is a nominee for Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service due to his unique collection of spirits and wines amassed over decades of world travels. Kevin Diedrich, bartender-owner of Pacific Cocktail Haven is up for Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service.
Four of the 20 nominees for Best Chef: California are from San Francisco: Kim Alter of Nightbird; Harrison Cheney of Sons & Daughters; Brandon Rice of Ernest; and Kasuke Tada of Mijoté. The East Bay also has some nominees: Geoff Davis, chef-owner of Burdell in Oakland and Tierra Vegetables successor; Sarah Cooper and Alan Hsu of Sun Moon Studio in Oakland; and Fik and Reka Saleh, the husband-wife owners of Fikscue Craft BBQ in Alameda.
