James Beard Awards: Milwaukee restaurants, bars named 2025 semifinalists
Milwaukee restaurants, bars named James Beard semifinalists
The James Beard Foundation announced its 2025 Restaurant and Chef Awards semifinalists on Wednesday, Jan. 22, and Milwaukee's food and bar scene is once again in the national spotlight.
MILWAUKEE - The James Beard Foundation announced its 2025 Restaurant and Chef Awards semifinalists on Wednesday, Jan. 22, and Milwaukee's food and bar scene is once again in the national spotlight.
What we know:
The James Beard Foundation’s Restaurant and Chef Awards were established in 1990 and first awarded in 1991. They honor talent and achievement in the culinary arts.
Local perspective:
Just two blocks from the Milwaukee Riverwalk sits Amilinda, a casual fine dining experience bringing the flavors of southwestern Europe to Wisconsin Ave. From answering the phone to seating customers, chef and operator Gregory León does it all.
"We take recipes and cooking techniques and flavor profiles from Spain and Portugal and adapt them to the Wisconsin palate," León said.
SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News
Now he’s once again in the running for a James Beard Award, this time as a semifinalist for Outstanding Chef.
"I don’t think it's sunk in just yet, it's a little surreal," he said. "Last night when I went to bed I was trying to mentally prepare myself for not getting any nominations."
From in the kitchen to behind the bar, the James Beard Awards are highlighting some of Milwaukee’s finest.
The list of semifinalists includes Bryant's Cocktail Lounge for outstanding bar.
"It’s a tremendous honor," Bryant’s bar manager Jackson Mercier said. "We’re so happy to be nominated in this way."
Mercier said for nearly 87 years the lounge has focused on quality conversation and cocktails.
"We get listed as these great things in Milwaukee and people come in and they are expecting bloody mary, beers and TVs behind the bar, where they can watch Packers and Bucks play and we have none of those," Mercier said. "We like to say often imitated and never replicated."
FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX6 News app for iOS or Android
Dig deeper:
Three chefs were nominated for Best Chef: Midwest:
- Ross Bachhuber and Samuel Ek, Odd Duck
- Dan Jacobs and Dan Van Rite, EsterEv
- Kyle Knall, Birch
Additionally, Agency is a semifinalist for Best New Bar.
This is the 35th year of the James Beard Awards.
What's next:
Final nominees will be named in April and winners will be celebrated this June in Chicago.
The Source: The information in this post was produced by FOX6 News with information from the James Beard Foundation.