Minnesotans Land 11 Semifinalists for 2025 James Beard Awards

Semifinalists for the 2025 James Beard Foundation Awards were announced Wednesday, and it was a historic performance for Minnesota restaurants with nominations in five national categories and five local chefs on the long list for Best Chef: Midwest.

These high-profile culinary awards, widely considered the industry’s highest honors, recognize and celebrate excellence in restaurants and food media. The restaurant awards are divided into 10 national categories and 12 regional categories.

This year’s semifinalists include national nominations in four categories for local restaurants: Outstanding Chef for Ann Ahmed for Khâluna in Minneapolis, Outstanding Hospitality for Mucci’s Italian in St. Paul, Outstanding Restaurant for Spoon and Stable in Minneapolis, and two nominations for best new restaurant. category for Lumberjack and Vinai, both Minneapolis. Bar Brava, the Minneapolis natural wine bar, made the list in the Outstanding Wine Program category.

The chefs representing Best Chef: Midwest are Shigeyuki Furukawa of Kado no Mise and Diane Moua of Diane’s Place, both in Minneapolis; Abraham Gessesse of Hyacinth and Karyn Tomlinson of Myriel, both St. Paul; and Mateo Mackbee for Krewe in St. Joseph.

Adam Ritter and Jeanie Janas Ritter were about to rush out to take care of the kids and restaurant issues when they learned their Minneapolis restaurant, the Lumberjack, was nominated. They received a text from fellow nominee and award-winning chef Gavin Kaysen, whose restaurants they both worked at.

“We are absolutely thrilled,” Janas Ritter said, adding that they were equally thrilled for the other Minnesota chefs and restaurants that made the list. “It’s super exciting to see our friends that we love and respect on this list. We are in very good company and we are truly grateful for this recognition.

Yia Vang was in Kansas City, where he is a guest chef at The Town Company, when his PR team told him the news. This restaurant’s chefs, Johnny Leach, were semi-finalists in the Best Chef: Midwest category, and his wife Helen Jo Leach was nominated for Best Pastry Chef. They applauded and congratulated each other.

Vang’s next reaction was elation at the number of Minnesota restaurants and chefs nominated. As he prepares to introduce Vinai’s dishes to Kansas City — shrimp toast, deviled eggs and grilled fish — he said having his restaurant named celebrating his Hmong heritage is an honor.