The Early Word: Memphis chefs are up for Beard awards, and Luke can dunk
Howdy on a perfectly balmy Thursday, Jan. 23. Kidding, it’s still pretty darn cold, but at least the temps are out of the teens. You know what’s hot though? Memphis Mayor Paul Young’s communication skills, apparently. He’s getting a big award for that this morning.
And if you’re itching to get out tonight and enjoy the relatively warmer weather, the Memphis Tigers men’s basketball team has a game against Wichita State at FedExForum.
Four Memphis chefs are semifinalists for the 2025 James Beard Awards, which are among the highest honors in the culinary world. Andrew Adams and Wally Joe of Acre and Drew Bryan of Blue Honey Bistro are semifinalists in the Best Chef: Southeast category, and baker Nuha Abuduhair’s 17 Berkshire was named in the Outstanding Bakery category. The Daily Memphian’s food writer Jennifer Chandler gathered their reactions.
The Memphis Grizzlies earned a blowout win, 132-120, over the Charlotte Hornets at FedExForum Wednesday night, but it’s fair to say the game started better than it ended. The Grizzlies were doing all sorts of crazy stuff in the first half: a Jay Huff reverse dunk, a double block by Zach Edey and Jaren Jackson Jr. and — get this — Luke Kennard’s first dunk in five years (!!!). In the second half though, the Hornets cut that lead to a dozen in about 18 minutes of remaining action. The Grizzlies still won fair and square, but Coach Taylor Jenkins was a little disappointed in the ending.
Plus, the Marie Feagins probe revealed another alleged violation, Kyle Rittenhouse is ready for round two and the Central High jazz band is heading to New York.
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Bianca Phillips
Bianca Phillips is a Northeast Arkansas native and longtime Memphian who’s worked in local journalism and PR for more than 20 years. She’s a diehard morning person who spends her free time running marathons and ultras. She’s the author of “Cookin Crunk: Eatin’ Vegan in the Dirty South.”
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