Four Memphis chefs named James Beard Awards semifinalists
Nuha Abuduhair, owner of 17 Berkshire. (Courtesy Kim Thomas)
Correction: A previous version of this story listed three nominees from Memphis instead of four. Andrew Adams and Wally Joe have both been nominated for one restaurant, Acre.
The James Beard Foundation announced Wednesday, Jan. 22, its 2025 James Beard Award semifinalists, which include four Memphis chefs.
Andrew Adams and Wally Joe of Acre and Drew Bryan of Blue Honey Bistro have been named semifinalists in the Best Chef: Southeast category.
17 Berkshire was named in the Outstanding Bakery category.
“I feel so honored someone thought of us to nominate us for this,” said 17 Berkshire owner Nuha Abuduhair.
The James Beard Awards are some of the highest honors for the culinary world, recognizing chefs and restaurateurs across the country for being the best in their fields.
Also recognized as semifinalists for Best Chef: Southeast are 20 other chefs in Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia.
There were a total of 20 nominees from bakeries nationwide in the Outstanding Bakery category.
Other Tennessee nominees include Julio Hernandez of Maiz de la Vida, Dung “Junior” Vo of Voko and Jake Powell of Peninsula, all three located in Nashville.
All four Memphis semi-finalists were shocked and surprised by the news. None of them knew they had been nominated.
Adams said he is grateful for the recognition: “I am truly grateful for this moment and for the community here in Memphis that supports us.”
Bryan echoed the same sentiment.
“I was surprised and humbled to hear about the nomination,” he said. “There are so many great chefs on the list and I am honored to have my name alongside theirs.”
The finalists for Restaurant and Chef Award nominees, as well as the nominees for Achievement Award Honorees, will be announced Wednesday, April 2.
The 2025 James Beard Awards Gala will take place Monday, June 16, at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.
For the complete list of nominees, visit jamesbeard.org.
Topics
James Beard Foundation Awards ACRE Andrew Adams Blue Honey Bistro Drew Bryan 17 Berkshire Nuha Abuduhair Wally JoeJennifer Chandler
A cookbook author and former restaurateur, Jennifer Chandler has been writing about food and dining for more than 25 years.
She is the author of four cookbooks: “The Southern Pantry Cookbook,” “Simply Salads,” “Simply Suppers,” and “Simply Grilling.” While she boasts a degree from Le Cordon Bleu, this Memphis native is about making real food accessible for real families.
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