It’s no secret that North Carolina hosts some of the best restaurants and chefs in the Southeast, but a few of our favorites were recently recognized on a national level. The James Beard Foundation, whose mission is to celebrate, nurture, and honor America’s diverse culinary heritage, announced its 2016 Restaurant and Chef Award Semifinalists on February 17, and 13 restaurants, chefs, and bakers from all over the state were nominated for this honor.
Best New Restaurant
Death & Taxes, Raleigh, NC
Outstanding Baker
Phoebe Lawless, Scratch Bakery, Durham, NC
Lionel Vatinet, La Farm Bakery, Cary, NC
Outstanding Chef
Ashley Christensen, Poole’s Downtown Diner, Raleigh, NC
Outstanding Pastry Chef
Cynthia Wong, Rhubarb, Asheville, NC
Best Chef: Southeast
Nate Allen, Knife & Fork, Spruce Pine, NC
Brian Canipelli, Cucina 24, Asheville, NC
Scott Crawford, Standard Foods, Raleigh, NC
Steven Devereaux Greene, Herons in the Umstead Hotel, Cary, NC
Vivian Howard, Chef & the Farmer, Kinston, NC
Matthew Kelly, Mateo, Durham, NC
Joe Kindred, Kindred, Davidson, NC
Aaron Vandemark, Panciuto, Hillsborough, NC
The James Beard Foundation will announce the final nominees in San Francisco on March 15, and we will be rooting for our state’s contenders.
Across the globe from Vietnam, effects of the war reverberate through the state, where social and political perspectives are shifting quickly and dramatically.
These places are the stewards of some very special items: Doc Watson’s first recording, the desk Virginia Woolf used to redefine the novel, and Elisha Mitchell’s pocket watch are just some of the cherished pieces that teach us about our state’s history and the people who preserve it.
From burgers to comfort food to elegant entrées, the range of plant-based dining in North Carolina is growing. Restaurants on this list are exclusively vegetarian and/or vegan.
