Detroit's Rising Culinary Stars: Metro Detroit James Beard Foundation Award Semifinalists

The James Beard Awards are the pinnacle of culinary achievement, honoring excellence in food and beverage across various categories.

Named after the legendary American chef James Beard, these awards recognize outstanding chefs, restaurants, journalists, authors, and other luminaries in the culinary realm.

Winning a James Beard Award is a mark of excellence and a prestigious acknowledgment within the food community.

Restaurants and chefs are nominated in October and November. A committee of food writers and judges creates the list of semifinalists from the nominations.

The process is highly competitive and akin to the Michelin star rating system. Being nominated for a James Beard Award is a testament to a chef or restaurant's dedication to excellence, and it's a recognition that's celebrated throughout the culinary community.

The list of semifinalists was revealed in January 2024. The list of Finalists will be announced in early April. The winning chefs and restaurants are to be announced on June 10, 2024.

Hamissi Mamba and Nadia Nijimbere are refugees from Burundi who not only call Detroit home but are also making a name for themselves in the culinary scene. The team started with pop-up locations in 2017 and opened their first permanent location on Woodward Avenue in 2021.

The two aren't new to awards, either.

They've been drawing acclaim for their East African fare for years. In 2021 and 2022, they won Best New Restaurant in America and Best New Restaurant in Metro Detroit. Last year, they were both semifinalists for Best Chefs. Mamba holds the 2023 title for Chopped champion on the Food Network.

When you check out the restaurant, try the signature dish, Nyumbani. Nyumbani means home, and you'll taste it in the slow simmered beef in tomato sauce, fried plantains, peanut-stewed spinach, and rice. Finish the meal with Coco Mango. It's coconut cream topped with mango coulis and pieces of diced mango.

Selden Standard focuses on fresh, local, and in-season ingredients to make their new American fare. Expect food crafted with care, precision, and sometimes rustic techniques to bring about mouth-watering dishes. The menu changes with the seasons, but some of the current favorites include Grilled Beet Salad, Beef Bolognese, and Grilled Michigan Pork.

Rocky Coronado is a beloved figure in the Detroit food scene. Coronado's fare features indigenous Mexican food with a vegan twist.

The ingredients are sourced from partnering indigenous farmers in Michigan, Texas, and Mexico. Coronado is always playing with new offerings, but the basics are vegan tacos, nachos, soups, and salads inspired by fine dining dishes. Soon, Nepantla will also have a brick-and-mortar location.

Alpino brings the spirit of the Alps to Detroit. The focus is on traditional Alpine dishes and creating an inviting community with high-quality food, frequent live music, and welcoming staff.

For an authentic taste of the Alps, try Chestnut Gnocchetti featuring chestnut dumplings, wild boar sausage, apples, kale, morbier, and fried sage.

For dessert, try their take on Panna Cotta, a traditional Italian dessert. Alpino makes the simple, conventional cream-based dessert magnificent with saffron, brown sugar, blood orange coulis, biscotti butter crumb, and orange oleo.

Shatila Bakery has been producing mouth-watering Mediterranean sweets in Dearborn since the mid-90s. Here, the focus is on creating high-quality, preservative-free treats with authentic international tastes.

Choose from delights such as baklawa, mamoul, pies, croissants, cookies, chocolates, and a seemingly endless supply of innovative treats. The Wall Street Journal has already named their baklava America's Best Baklava. People travel far and wide for this Dearborn favorite, and for good reason.

AlTayeb Restaurant has garnered much acclaim for its atmosphere and food. Dining here brings to mind traditional Arab family breakfasts.

Think of gathering together with family and friends, being treated with the utmost care and consideration, and enjoying Lebanese breakfast favorites such as fatteh and makanek sausages with sunny-side-up eggs.

Folk is a cafe and wine shop in Corktown, Detroit. One of their specialties is serving and selling biodynamic wine.

Biodynamic wine is a wine that is created from grapes farmed with particular attention to the plant and the planet. By avoiding chemical pesticides, farmers of biodynamic wines use earth-friendly techniques to nurture and protect the vines.

This goes beyond just organic farming methods. Special attention is given to the lunar cycles corresponding to the growing season. Different aspects of viticulture are performed during different lunar cycles.

At Folk, the conditions in which wine is produced are prioritized and honored. They take special care in selecting wine of the utmost quality and pairing it with a changing breakfast and brunch menu that utilizes local and seasonal ingredients.

Doug Hewitt is the Executive Chef at both Freya and Chartreuse Kitchen & Cocktails. His work at Freya is being honored by the James Beard Award Foundation.

Freya is an approachable 5-course fixed menu restaurant featuring artistically displayed plates and high-end quality foods.

Freya has garnered awards such as Best Restaurant of the Year, Best Restaurant in Detroit, Best New Restaurant in Detroit, and One of America's 50 Most Exciting Restaurants.

Hajime Sato, Sozai, Clawson, MI

Hajime Sato is the owner and chef at Sozai Restaurant. Here, he creates innovative sushi and kappo dishes with a focus on sustainably sourced seafood.

In 2009, he was one of the first sushi chefs to commit to using only sustainable seafood. His creations are a beautiful combination of sustainability, creativity, and detectability.

John Yelinek, Ladder 4 Wine Bar, Detroit, MI

At Ladder 4 Wine Bar, John Yelinek creates a menu inspired by Europe, Asia, and New American cuisine. His continually changing menu draws on local and sustainably sourced ingredients. His creations delight and intrigue Detroiters.

The freedom Yelinek has to create in the kitchen gives dining here the feel of freshness and excitement. It's like you can feel the love and fun in every ingredient, in every dish, in every bite. If they're still available when you visit, try the stuffed morels with walleye, crayfish, and fried potatoes.