This morning, the James Beard Foundation announced the semifinalists for its 2017 awards. And Milwaukee has four reasons to be proud.
Among the semifinalists for the James Beard Assocation's Outstanding Restaurateurs award are Paul and Joe Bartolotta of The Bartolotta Restaurants.
Meanwhile, semi-finalists for Best Chef Midwest include Chef Karen Bell of Bavette La Boucherie, Justin Carlisle of Ardent and Thomas Hauck of c.1880.
Other Best Chef Midwest candidates from Wisconsin include Lisa Carlson of Chef Shack in Bay City; Dan Fox of Heritage Tavern in Madison, Jonny Hunter of Forequarter in Madison and Luke Zahm of Driftless Cafe in Viroqua. The complete list of semifinalists can be found online.
The semifinals process began in October 2016 with an open call, during which anyone could nominate up to two individuals online. The JBF Restaurant and Chef Awards Committee, composed of critics, writers, and editors, culled the semi-finalists from more than 24,000 entries.
Semifinalists will now move on to a voting body comprised of former Beard Award winners; Restaurant and Chef Award Committee members; and other regional panelists who will choose five finalists in each category.
Save the date
Winners of the 2017 James Beard Media Awards will be announced on Tuesday, April 25, 2017, at an exclusive event honoring the nation's top cookbook authors, culinary broadcast producers and hosts, and food journalists at Pier Sixty at Chelsea Piers in New York City.
On Wednesday, March 15, the Foundation will announce the final nominees for all award categories during a press conference at a.o.c. restaurant in Los Angeles, California. Nominations will also be announced live via the Foundation's Facebook Live video feed and in real time on Twitter.
The highly anticipated James Beard Awards ceremony and gala reception will follow on Monday, May 1, at Lyric Opera of Chicago.
As a passionate champion of the local dining scene, Lori has reimagined the restaurant critic's role into that of a trusted dining concierge, guiding food lovers to delightful culinary discoveries and memorable experiences.
Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with every dish. Lori is the author of two books: the "Wisconsin Field to Fork" cookbook and "Milwaukee Food". Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. In 2024, Lori was honored with a "Top 20 Women in Hospitality to Watch" award by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.
When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or planning for TV and radio spots, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.
