March 4, 2013
The 2019 James Beard Award semifinalists have been announced, and Charlotte has made the list – again!
The Queen City and its surrounding area (Davidson/Cornelius) had three restaurants and chefs named as semifinalists.
Chef Greg Collier, co-owner of The Yolk Café (which recently moved to 7th Street Public Market) and executive chef of Loft & Cellar, is on the long list for Best Chef: Southeast. This is the Memphis-native’s first time being recognized by the James Beard Foundation.. He and his wife opened The Yolk Café in Rock Hill, SC in 2012 and made the move to Uptown last year.
For the fourth year in a row, Chef Joe Kindred of Kindred and Hello, Sailor has also been named a semifinalist for Best Chef: Southeast. He and his wife Katy own the two hot spots, both of which have been on bon appetit’s Best New Restaurants list. Kindred is popular for shared plates, craft cocktails, and that infamous milk bread, while Hello, Sailor has beautiful views accompanied by classic and modern seafood dishes.
And finally, The Stanley has been nominated for Best New Restaurant. Chef Paul Verica opened The Stanley after closing his Waxhaw spot, Heritage, in 2017. The Stanley is known for a rotating menu based on seasonal ingredients and flavors alongside hand-crafted cocktails. Verica himself was a semifinalist for Best Chef: Southeast in 2016.
So, what’s next? The list of finalists (five per category) will emerge on March 27, and we’ll have to wait until May 6 to find out who wins it all.