More news confirming how great the restaurant scene is in this town. The James Beard Foundation has announced its semifinalist lists and Providence has done very well. And remember, it’s an honor just to be nominated blah blah blah.
Under ‘Best Chef: Northeast’ we have Robert Andreozzi at Pizza Marvin, Subat Dilmurat of Jahunger, Sky Haneul Kim at Gift Horse, and Derek Wagner of Nicks On Broadway. And right over the bridge in East Providence, we have one of my favorites, Nick Rabar of Honeybird Kitchen & Cocktails (the grits . . . the creamed corn!).
Nikhil Naiker has been nominated as an ‘Emerging Chef.’ He has a one-year residency at the Courtland Club, cooking under the Nimki pop-up brand.
Local restaurants got the nod in two separate categories: Oberlin has been nominated as an ‘Outstanding Restaurant’ and Persimmon for its ‘Outstanding Hospitality.’
This is not the first nomination for most of these names. From RI Monthly:
Persimmon chef-owner Champe Speidel was nominated seven times in the semifinalist category for Best Chef: Northeast, the most recent after moving Persimmon from Bristol to Providence. Persimmon also earned semifinalist recognition for “Outstanding Service” in 2013 and 2014. Nicks On Broadway’s chef Derek Wagner has also appeared on the Best Chef: Northeast shortlist in 2016, 2017 and 2020. Meanwhile, Jahunger’s Dilmurat competed for the Best Chef title in 2024, while Pizza Marvin’s Andreozzi was a semifinalist in 2023. Gift Horse’s Kim was recognized last year in the Emerging Chef category, and stepped it up to Best Chef: Northeast for 2025!
An embarrassment of riches.
Let’s talk about Nicks and its pantry menu. Why not take home a block of pork terrine for $12, or a pint of bolognese sauce for $16, or a $10 pint of their delicious polenta with cheddar. (I really like soft, beige food.) Their take-out menu includes beef tallow at $4/pint, which they recommend for roasting and frying. (Ask your grandparents about McDonald’s french fries of yore.)
(Nominees will be announced on Wednesday, April 2, and winners will be announced at the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards ceremony on Monday, June 16 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.)
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At the time of this writing, egg prices are on the rise due to the bird flu; some markets have empty shelves. This comes as restaurants across the country may soon be dealing with staffing issues. (I’m not loving 2025 so far.) Help keep your neighborhood eateries going.