ORLANDO, Fla. – Several well-known names in Central Florida’s food scene are in the running for the 2022 James Beard Awards, a top honor in the food industry.
“The mission of the James Beard Awards is to recognize exceptional talent and achievement in the culinary arts, hospitality, media, and broader food system, as well as a demonstrated commitment to racial and gender equity, community, sustainability, and a culture where all can thrive,” according to the James Beard Foundations website.
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The foundation announced its list of semifinalists Wednesday with four contenders coming out of the Orlando area.
The list of Central Florida semifinalists include:
- Jason and Sue Chin from the Good Salt Restaurant Group. The Chins are in the running for the Outstanding Restauranteur award. The pair have several restaurants around Orlando including: Seito Sushi Baldwin Park, Reyes Mezcalaria, The Osprey and The Monroe.
- Rabii Saber from Four Seasons Resort at Walt Disney World is in the running for Outstanding Pastry Chef. Saber has previously been a semifinalist for the James Beard Awards in 2019, according to the Four Seasons website.
- Evette Rahman from Sister Honey’s is a semifinalist for Outstanding Baker. Rahman recently became the first three-time winner in the dessert category at the World Food Championships, the Orlando Sentinel reported in November. Rahman won in 2016, 2019 and 2021, according to the WFC’s website, and will be competing again in 2022.
- Henry Moso from Kabooki Sushi is in the running for Best Chef: South. This is the second time Moso has been nominated for a James Beard Award. Moso was previously nominated in the Rising Star Chef of the Year category for chefs younger than 30 in 2020.
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The winners will be announced on Monday, June 13 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, according to the foundation.
See the full list of semifinalists below: