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Detroit Restaurants, Chefs Once Again Edged Out of the James Beard Awards

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No finalists for 2017

beard awards medal Getty/Victor Spinelli/WireImage
Brenna Houck is a Cities Manager for the Eater network. She previously edited Eater Detroit and reported for Eater. You can follow her on the internet at @brennahouck.

At this point it’s beginning to sound like a broken record. Another year, another round of James Beard Awards finalists and once more no Detroit restaurants have made the cut. There was a glimmer of hope in February that this might be the Motor City’s year, riding a wave of positive press for the metro area’s growing dining scene.

Local semifinalists — part of the so called “long list” of contenders — for 2017 included: Katoi (nominated for Best New Restaurant); Lisa Ludwinski of Sister Pie (Outstanding Baker category); Standby (Outstanding Bar Program); and James Rigato (Mabel Gray), Andy Hollyday (Selden Standard), and Nick Janutol (Forest) in the category of Best Chef: Great Lakes.

Hopes that Katoi might make it into the final cut were dashed last month when the restaurant was put out of commission from a fire. But the lack of representation of any Michigan chefs or restaurants is disappointing. Chicago dominated the category of Best Chef: Great Lakes this year, with all the finalists slots going to Windy City restaurants. When will Detroit finally get its due at the Academy Awards of food? Maybe next year.

James Beard Awards 2017: Restaurant, Chef, and Media Finalists [E]

Detroit Chefs & Restaurants Named Semifinalists for 2017 James Beard Awards [ED]

All Awards Season Coverage [ED]

Takoi

2520 Michigan Avenue, , MI 48216 (313) 855-2864 Visit Website

Forest

735 Forest Avenue, , MI 48009 (248) 258-9400 Visit Website

Selden Standard

3921 2nd Avenue, , MI 48201 (313) 438-5055 Visit Website

Sister Pie

8066 Kercheval Avenue, , MI 48214 (313) 447-5550 Visit Website

Standby

1301 Broadway Street, Detroit, MI 48226 Visit Website

Mabel Gray

23825 John R Road, , MI 48030 (248) 398-4300 Visit Website