James Beard Awards are some of the most prestigious awards in the culinary industry and some Connecticut establishments and chefs have made the list of semifinalists for this year's awards. Two chefs and one restaurant have made the list.
2024 semifinalists from CT
Outstanding Chef
Renee Touponce, The Port of Call in Mystic
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This award is for a chef who sets high culinary standards and has served as a positive example for other food professionals while contributing positively to their broader community. Touponce was nominated in 2023 for best chef in the northeast.
Outstanding Restaurant
Local
This award is for a restaurant that demonstrates consistent excellence in food, atmosphere, hospitality, and operations while contributing positively to its broader community.
Coracora was also nominated in 2023 for outstanding restaurant.
Best Chef: Northeast
David Standridge, The Shipwright's Daughter in Mystic
The Best Chefs awards are regional and given to chefs who set high standards in their culinary skills and leadership abilities and who are making efforts to help create a sustainable work culture in their respective regions, while contributing positively to their broader community.
What comes next
The finalists will be announced on Wednesday, April 3 and winners will be celebrated at the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards ceremony on Monday, June 10 in Chicago.
The James Beard Foundation said the awards honor those “who are creating exceptional food, food media content, and better food systems, while demonstrating a commitment to racial and gender equity, community, sustainability, and a culture where all can thrive.”
The Restaurant and Chef Awards were established in 1990 and first awarded in 1991. This is one of five separate recognition programs of the James Beard Awards.
