It’s awards season, and appropriately enough, nominations for the Oscars of the culinary world were released today. Unsurprisingly, several familiar names are on the list.
This year’s list of Restaurant and Chef Award semifinalists released by the prestigious New York-based James Beard Foundation includes five Richmond-area names. For the second year in a row, An Bui of Mekong and the Answer Brewpub is named in the Outstanding Wine, Spirits or Beer Producer category. Sibling duo Evrim and Evin Dogu, owners of Sub Rosa Bakery, also received their second nomination for Outstanding Baker.
New to the list this year are Mama J’s and Sandeep “Sunny” Baweja, in the Outstanding Service and Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic categories, respectively.
Other Virginia nods include Ian Redshaw of Lampo Neapolitan Pizzeria in Charlottesville as Rising Star Chef of the Year and Peking Gourmet Inn in Falls Church for Outstanding Service and Rutger de Vink of RdV Vineyards in Delaplane for Outstanding Wine, Spirits or Beer Producer.