Every Charlotte area chef, restaurant ever nominated for a James Beard Award
When the 2024 James Beard Award seminifinalists were announced, Daryl Cooper and Oscar Johnson of Jimmy Pearls joined a slate of Charlotte chefs putting out cuisine worthy of national attention.
Since 1991, the James Beard Awards have recognized culinary excellence throughout the country — and North Carolina restaurants have been in the running almost since the beginning.
In 1992, Durham’s Magnolia Grill’s Ben Barker became the first James Beard recognized chef in North Carolina. He was nominated for Best Chef: Southeast for his work at the modern Southern restaurant he owned with his wife, Karen. They closed the restaurant in 2012 and retired, but the recognition kicked off a solid string of nominations that have grown over time.
In Charlotte, Cooper and Johnson are joining noted chefs Gregory Collier, Sam Hart, Joe Kindred, Bruce Moffett and Paul Verica who have been among those recognized — often multiple times.
We’ll also note that while William Dissen may no longer be a Charlotte chef, the Asheville restaurateur who built Haymaker in Charlotte and recently sold it to Chris Coleman’s Built on Hospitality restaurant group, was also among the 2024. His Asheville restaurant The Market Place is a semifinalist in the Outstanding Restaurant category.
Here are the Charlotte area chefs and restaurants who have been in the running for James Beard Awards, based on information provided by the nonprofit foundation:
Gregory Collier
Year: 2019
Restaurant: Loft & Cellar (now closed)
Award type: Best Chefs in America: Southeast semifinalist
Year: 2020
Restaurant: Uptown Yolk, now located at 1220 South Tryon, Suite 500, Charlotte, NC 28203
Award type: Best Chefs in America: Southeast semifinalist
Year: 2023
Restaurant: Leah & Louise, 301 Camp Rd, Charlotte, NC 28206
Award type: Outstanding Chef
Where is he now? Still at the helm of Uptown Yolk and Leah & Louise, BayHaven Restaurant Group properties operated with his wife and partner Subrina Collier. A new restaurant, 3rd & Fernwood, is also on the way.
Daryl Cooper and Oscar Johnson
Year: 2024
Restaurant: Jimmy Pearls, 224 E 7th St, Charlotte, NC 28202 (until Jan. 30)
Award type: Best Chef: Southeast semifinalist
Where are they now? Preparing to open a brick-and-mortar location of Jimmy Pearls.
Jason and Dairelyn Glunt
Year: 2023
Restaurant: Salud Cerveceria, 3306 N Davidson St, Charlotte, NC 28205
Award type: Outstanding Bar semifinalist
Where are they now? Still running Salud Cerveceria and its sister location, Salud Beer Shop.
Sam Hart
Year: 2023
Restaurant: Counter-, 2001 W Morehead St D, Charlotte, NC 28208
Award type: Award type: Best Chefs in America: Southeast finalist
Where are they now? Still running Counter-. Soon, they will open Maneki in uptown and Spaghett in the former Poplar Charlotte space.
Mark Hibbs
Restaurant: Ratcliffe on the Green, Charlotte (now closed)
Year: 2009
Award type: Best Chefs in America: Southeast, semifinalist
Where is he now? Executive chef of SOHO Restaurant in Pittsburgh.
Joe Kindred
Year: 2016
Restaurant: Kindred
Award type: Best Chefs in America: Southeast semifinalist
Year: 2017
Restaurant: Kindred
Award type: Best Chefs in America: Southeast semifinalist
Year: 2018
Restaurant: Kindred
Award type: Best Chefs in America: Southeast semifinalist
Year: 2019
Restaurant: Kindred, 131 N Main St, Davidson, NC 28036
Award type: Best Chefs in America: Southeast semifinalist
Year: 2020
Restaurant: Kindred
Award type: Best Chefs in America: Southeast semifinalist
Where is he now? Kindred and his wife, Katy, have also opened Hello, Sailor and two Milkbread locations. A third Milkbread restaurant and Albertine are opening in 2024.
Bruce Moffett
Year: 2009
Restaurant: Barringtons, 7822 Fairview Rd, Charlotte, NC 28226
Award type: Best Chefs in America: Southeast semifinalist
Year: 2010
Restaurant: Good Food on Montford, 1701 Montford Dr, Charlotte, NC 28209
Award type: Best New Restaurant, semifinalist
Where is he now? The founder of Moffett Restaurant Group has added Stagioni and Bao + Broth to his culinary holdings.
Eric Solomon
Year: 2008
Business: Eric Solomon Selections/European Cellars
Award type: Outstanding Wine & Spirits Professional, semifinalist
Year: 2009
Business: Eric Solomon Selections/European Cellars
Award type: Outstanding Wine & Spirits Professional, semifinalist
Year: 2010
Business: Eric Solomon Selections/European Cellars
Award type: Outstanding Wine & Spirits Professional, semifinalist
Year: 2011
Business: Eric Solomon Selections/European Cellars
Award type: Outstanding Wine & Spirits Professional, semifinalist
Year: 2012
Business: Eric Solomon Selections/European Cellars
Award type: Outstanding Wine & Spirits Professional, semifinalist
Year: 2013
Business: Eric Solomon Selections/European Cellars
Award type: Outstanding Wine & Spirits Professional, semifinalist
Where is he now? He’s still importing wine at European Cellars, 1000 W. Morehead St, Ste. 100, Charlotte, NC 28208
Paul Verica
Year: 2017
Restaurant: Heritage Food and Drink, Waxhaw (now closed)
Award type: Best Chefs in America: Southeast semifinalist
Year: 2019
Restaurant: The Stanley (now closed)
Award type: Best New Restaurant semifinalist
Where is he now? Verica said in 2022, “With the sale of The Stanley, I plan on taking some time off to re-energize and re-assess. The world is wide open for me, and I plan on exploring it and weighing all my options to see what my next endeavor will be.”
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