Categories: CulinaryEvents/What's HappeningNews

Kansas City Misses Out on James Beard Award Nominations

While Kansas City chefs faced disappointment in James Beard Award nominations, the culinary spirit remains strong.

News Summary

Despite having hopes for a strong showing at this year’s James Beard Awards, Kansas City chefs were left without any nominations. While local restaurants had eight semifinalists in January, none made it to the final list, with neighboring Missouri receiving recognition. The culinary landscape in Kansas City has faced challenges over the years, but it continues to produce talent. The upcoming awards ceremony will be a moment of mixed emotions as locals rally behind their chefs.

James Beard Award Nominees Announced: Kansas City Left in the Dust

Hey there, food lovers! If you’re in or around Kansas City and had your hopes up for the prestigious James Beard Awards, it’s time to grab a coffee and take a deep breath. The nominees for this year’s chef and restaurant awards were announced recently, and guess what? Not a single nominee hails from our vibrant city!

A Hard Pill to Swallow

Back in January, things looked brighter with eight chefs and restaurants from the Kansas City area being named semifinalists. However, when the list of final nominees came out on Wednesday, it was a big letdown for local culinary fans. Instead of exciting recognition for our talented chefs, we’re left looking to our neighboring state of Missouri and feeling a bit envious.

Just to put things in perspective, the only two nominees from Missouri are Chef Loryn Nalic of Balkan Treat Box in Webster Groves and Chef Jane Sacro Chatham of Vicia in St. Louis. Sadly, the Kansas side of the border didn’t bring any nominations either, leaving our fair city in the shadows.

A Brief History Lesson

Let’s rewind to last year when the tale was a little different. Kansas City was buzzing with *seven* semifinalists. Notable names like Rozz Petrozz from Saltwell Farm Kitchen, Katie Liu-Sung from Chewology, and Johnny Leach of The Town Company filled up our hopes. Unfortunately, none of them made the cut for the final nominations back then either.

It’s safe to say that the city has faced quite a challenge in gaining the recognition it deserves over the past few years. In 2023, Kansas City was given a reason to celebrate when Yoli Tortilleria clinched a James Beard Award, proving that talent thrives here. However, this year’s results feel like a major setback.

Wichita’s Georges French Bistro Makes the Cut

While our spirits are low, it’s worth mentioning that Georges French Bistro in Wichita, Kansas, is among the semifinalists for the Outstanding Restaurant category. At least our neighbors to the west are making us proud! Other semifinalists from the Kansas region included some familiar faces, like Helen Jo Leach from The Town Company for Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker and JJ’s Restaurant for Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program.

Looking Ahead

We can look forward to the winners being announced on June 16 at the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards ceremony at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Mark your calendars! Let’s keep our fingers crossed that we’ll see some Kansas City talent back on the scoreboard in the next awards cycle.

In addition to the nominees, it’s important to highlight that Kansas City proudly hosted nine semifinalists in the annual nominations for 2025, with five recognized in prestigious “outstanding” categories. Among them are some returning names that we all know and love!

The Final Word

The upcoming finalists will be revealed on April 2, so there’s still a chance for local talent to really shine this year. Everyone here at home will be holding onto hope that we’ll soon see Kansas City chefs getting the recognition they deserve in the world of culinary excellence. In the meantime, let’s continue supporting our local eateries and chefs because amazing food is produced right here in our backyard!