New England James Beard Awards

Posted by Margalit

This year's James Beard Foundation Awards have been announced. Prizes for the prestigious food-related award are handed out in a multitude of categories. From top chefs to television, print critics to books. The Boston area usually gets a fair representation at the Beard Awards, but this year the medals for Boston are tough to come by. The big winner was Frank McClelland of L'Espalier who took home the honor for Best Chef: Northeast. A category that doesn't include New York (they've got a Best Chef category all to themselves). McClelland nudged out Michael Leviton of Lumière and Marc Orfaly of Pigalle, other locals nominated in the category. What caught my attention was that the other two nominees came from Maine. Rob Evans, Hugo's in Portland and Clark Frasier and Mark Gaier of Ogunquit's Arrows. I've heard a lot of good things about the food in Maine, but it's just a little far to go for dinner. Perhaps it's worth braving the New Hampshire Tolls this summer for a weekend adventure to check things out up there. Then again, I could save our gas money all summer and I might be able to afford a meal at L'Espalier.

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Image of medal recipient Frank McClelland at Beard Award Ceremony

Other local New Englanders were nominated in other categories. Patrick Connolly of Radius barely missed taking home the medal for Rising Star Chef of the Year. Marilynn Brass and Sheila Brass were nominated for best book in the Baking and Dessert section for their latest "Heirloom Baking with the Brass Sisters" – their first cookbook. Sheryl Julian received a nomination for the Food Section of the Boston Globe as part of the Journalism set. America's Test Kitchen with host Christopher Kimball produced for PBS was nominated in Television Food Show, National – we know their secret: their home base is in Brookline Village.

TAGS: Awards, Best Chefs, Frank Mcclelland
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