James Beard Award semifinalists

In January, The James Beard Foundation’s committee announced its 2024 Restaurant and Chef Awards semifinalists. The 2024 Restaurant and Chef semifinalists are recognized across 22 categories. The Foundation’s committee named the following finalists from the state of Michigan: Outstanding Restaurateur – Hamissi Mamba and Nadia Nijimbere of Baobab Fare, Detroit; Outstanding Restaurant – Selden Standard, Detroit; Emerging Chef – Rocky Coronado of Nepantla, Detroit; Best New Restaurant – Alpino, Detroit; Outstanding Bakery – Shatila Bakery, Dearborn; Outstanding Hospitality – AlTayeb Restaurant, Dearborn; Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages – Folk, Detroit and Ann Arbor; Best Chef, Great Lakes includes five area semifinalists including: Doug Hewitt, Freya, Detroit; Ji Hye Kim, Miss Kim, Ann Arbor; Dan Klenotic, Bellflower, Ypsilanti; Hajime Sato, Sozai, Clawson; and John Yelinek, Ladder 4 Wine Bar, Detroit. In early April, the list was honed down to just two finalists from Michigan: Hamissi Mamba and Nadia Nijimbere of Baobab Fare, for Outstanding Restaurateur and Hajime Sato of Sozai, for Best Chef, Great Lakes. The winners will be celebrated at an award ceremony on Monday, June 10, 2024, at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. jamesbeard.org