From 12 to None: No Arizona Chefs Are 2023 James Beard Award Finalists

The James Beard Awards will be announced on June 5. None of the dozen finalists in Arizona made the cut. Jim Heaphy / Creative Commons

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The James Beard Awards are one step closer to crowning this year's winners after the finalists were announced on Wednesday, March 29. But in a sad turn of events for Arizona, no local chefs made the cut.

The news comes as a surprise following a strong showing in the semifinal round, announced in January, when 12 individual chefs or restaurant teams were named as semifinalists.

The awards are some of the most prestigious and competitive honors in food. But Arizona chefs' hopes dwindled quickly as the finalists were announced via Instagram stories on Wednesday morning.

Not a single Arizona chef will be in the running at this year's James Beard Awards. The ceremony will be held in Chicago on June 5.

In the 2022 round, Arizona chefs Chris Bianco and Don Guerra won awards.

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Chef Silvana Salcido Esparza was a semifinalist for Outstanding Chef in the 2023 James Beard Awards.

Zee Peralta

Who Was in the Running?

The semifinalists that were recognized in January but didn't make the cut on Wednesday:

• Silvana Salcido Esparza of Barrio Cafe, Phoenix — Outstanding Chef
• Proper Meats + Provisions, Flagstaff — Outstanding Restaurant
• Christian Lowe, Shift Kitchen & Bar, Flagstaff — Emerging Chef
• JL Patisserie, Phoenix and Scottsdale — Outstanding Bakery
• Crystal Kass, Valentine, Phoenix — Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker
• Glai Baan, Phoenix — Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program

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Grill master Rene Andrade of Bacanora was nominated along with Roberto Centeno for Best Chef Southwest.

JM Photo

Semifinalists for Best Chef Southwest

• Rene Andrade and Roberto Centeno — Bacanora, Phoenix
• Jaren Bates and Brett Vibber — The Table at Junipine, Sedona
• Nephi Craig — Café Gozhóó, Whiteriver
• Wendy Garcia — Tumerico, Tucson
• Fernando Hernández — Testal, Phoenix
• Yotaka and Alex Martin — Lom Wong, Phoenix
  

The full list of 2023 finalists from around the country is available on the James Beard Award website.