The James Beard Foundation announced the final nominees for its 2016 awards from Presidio Officers’ Club in San Francisco on Tuesday morning.
For the second year running, chef and Owner Justin Carlisle of Ardent has made it to the next round for Best Chef Midwest.
Ardent, which opened in October 2013, has made an indelible mark on Milwaukee with its artfully prepared dishes, which simultaneously break new ground while paying homage to the simplicity and quality of Wisconsin ingredients. Its after-hours weekend business, Red Light Ramen, has also played a role in the restaurant’s success by luring an after hours crowd to indulge in steaming bowls of ramen and creatively executed alcoholic slushies. In 2014, Ardent was a contender for "Best New Restaurant in the United States" during the James Beard semi-finals.
Other nominees for Best Chef Midwest include Paul Berglund, The Bachelor Farmer in Minneapolis; Kevin Nashan of Sidney Street Café in St. Louis; Lenny Russo of Heartland Restaurant & Farm Direct Market in St. Paul, MN; and Kevin Willmann of Farmhaus in St. Louis.
Final James Beard Award winners will be announced at the annual gala on Monday, May 2, 2016, at Lyric Opera of Chicago. This year’s event will be hosted by Carla Hall, co-host of ABC’s "The Chew" and restaurateur of the soon to open Carla Hall’s Southern Kitchen in Brooklyn.
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.
