Every year since 1990, the James Beard Foundation Awards have been held to honor the very best in the American food industry. Sometimes referred to as the "Oscars" of the culinary world, the awards honor categories from best chefs to outstanding restaurants to even cook books and cooking shows.
This year, one local restaurant and another local chef are both semifinalists in their respective categories: Larder Delicatessen and Bakery in Cleveland is up for best new restaurant, while chef Jill Vedaa from Salt+ in Lakewood is nominated for Best Chef in the Great Lakes region.
Located in the historic Ohio City Firehouse on West 29th St., Larder specializes in Eastern European cuisine and prides itself on supporting local food farmers, producers, and others "by keeping our money in our community where it belongs." Besides the restaurant, the establishment also features a grocery store with a wide variety of take-home products.
Salt+, meanwhile, specializes in small plates, cocktails, and wines, with the "+" symbolizing how salt has "shaped civilization and made a glittering, often surprise contribution of the history of humankind." The restaurant is located on Detroit Ave., and head chef Jill Vedaa has previously been nominated for a James Beard Award.
Four Northeast Ohio chefs, restaurants, or media writers have been honored by the foundation since the awards began:
- Elaine Cicora, Cleveland Scene - Newspaper Feature Writing Without Recipies 2007
- Michael Symon, Lola - Great Lakes Chef 2009
- Sokolowski's University Inn - "American Classics" 2014
- Jonathan Sawyer, The Greenhouse Tavern - Best Chef: Great Lakes 2015
The awards are voted on by more than 600 professionals (including previous winners). Finalists will be announced on Mar. 27 on the James Beard Foundation's Twitter feed with the awards gala being held May 6 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.