When the 2025 James Beard Award semifinalists were announced, chefs Sam Diminich and Chayil Johnson and beverage director Colleen Hughes joined a slate of Charlotte food and beverage professionals putting out work 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, Diminich and Chayil Johnson are joining noted chefs DC Cooper and Oscar Johnson, Gregory Collier, Sam Hart, Joe Kindred, Bruce Moffett and Paul Verica 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 before it was operated and closed under Built on Hospitality has also been recognized by the James Beard Awards. His Asheville restaurant The Market Place was a semifinalist in the Outstanding Restaurant category in 2024, and he was named an Outstanding Chef semifinalist in 2025.
Another important point to note: Peter Reinhart of Johnson & Wales University in Charlotte is a four-time winner in the James Beard Media Awards and was nominated a fifth time.
In 1999, Reinhart won the Baking & Desserts category for his book “Crust & Crumb: Master Formulas For Serious Bread Makers.”
In 2002, he won in two categories — Baking & Desserts and Cookbook of the Year — for “The Bread Baker’s Apprentice: Mastering the Art of Extraordinary Bread.”
In 2008, he again won in Baking & Desserts for “Peter Reinhart’s Whole Grain Breads: New Techniques, Extraordinary Flavor.”
In 2010, Reinhart was a finalist in Baking & Desserts for “Peter Reinhart’s Artisan Breads Every Day.”
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:’
Award type: Best Chefs in America: Southeast semifinalist
Year: 2022
Restaurant: Leah & Louise (now closed)
Award type: Best Chefs in America: Southeast finalist
Year: 2023
Restaurant: Leah & Louise (now closed)
Award type: Outstanding Chef semifinalist
Where is he now? Still at the helm of Uptown Yolk and 3rd & Fernwood, BayHaven Restaurant Group properties operated with his wife and partner Subrina Collier.
Subrina and Greg Collier of Leah & Louise and Uptown Yolk. Alex Cason CharlotteFive
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.
Katy and Joe Kindred, owners of Kindred, Hello, Sailor and Milkbread. Courtesy of Katy and Joe Kindred CharlotteFive
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.”
Heidi Finley is a writer and editor for CharlotteFive and the Charlotte Observer. Outside of work, you will most likely find her in the suburbs driving kids around, volunteering and indulging in foodie pursuits.Support my work with a digital subscription
