Seven Twin Cities Chefs, Restaurants, and Bars Are James Beard Semifinalists for 2024

Of those seven, four are competing in national categories

Today, January 24, the James Beard Foundation announced its 2024 list of semifinalists. The Awards gave a total of seven nods to the Twin Cities, including four in national categories:

• Daniel del Prado (Porzana) — Outstanding Chef
• Oro By Nixta — Best New Restaurant
• Marc Heu (Marc Heu Pâtisserie Paris) — Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker
• Meteor — Outstanding Bar
• Ann Ahmed (Khâluna) — Best Chef, Midwest
• Christina Nguyen (Hai Hai) — Best Chef, Midwest
• Karyn Tomlinson (Myriel) — Best Chef, Midwest

Del Prado was both a James Beard semifinalist (2019) and finalist (2020) for Best Chef for his restaurant Martina; Porzana, his North Loop Argentinian steakhouse, is the latest addition to his vast portfolio of Twin Cities restaurants, which includes Colita, Rosalia, and others. This is the first time the James Beard Foundation has recognized Heu, Meteor, and (naturally) Oro by Nixta, which opened in May of 2023 and was Eater Twin Cities’ restaurant of the year.

Last year, Ahmed, Nguyen, and Tomlinson were semifinalists in the Best Chef, Midwest category alongside Yia Vang (Union Hmong Kitchen), though none were named as finalists. (Nguyen was a finalist for Best Chef for Hai Hai in 2020.) Café Cerés pastry chef Shawn McKenzie was a finalist for Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker, but that award ultimately went to pastry chef Margarita Manzke of LA restaurant République.

2024 James Beard finalists will be announced April 3, with a gala announcing the winners in Chicago on June 10. Find the full list of semifinalists here.

Disclosure: Some Vox Media staff members are part of the voting body for the James Beard Awards.