Philadelphia's culinary scene is garnering significant national attention once again, with a total of 14 nominations for this year's James Beard Awards. The prestigious awards recognize excellence in the food industry and the city's diverse dining options are no exception.
Among the nominees is Kalaya, which has been named a semifinalist for Outstanding Restaurant for the second consecutive year. This Southern Thai restaurant is known for its creative take on childhood-inspired dishes from owner and head chef Chutatip "Nok" Suntaranon. The chef's James Beard Award win in 2023 and appearance on TIME Magazine's list of the world's most influential people last year are testaments to his exceptional culinary skills.
In another notable nod, Lovers Bar at Friday Saturday Sunday has been recognized as a semifinalist for Outstanding Bar for the second year in a row. Paul MacDonald, the creative force behind the bar's innovative "Carousel" cocktail menu, was named one of Wine Enthusiast's Future 40 Tastemakers last summer.
Up-and-coming chefs are also making waves in the competition, with Amá's head chef Frankie Ramirez listed as an Emerging Chef nominee. Ramirez, a self-taught Mexican-American chef, has made a name for himself after opening his own restaurant early last year in Fishtown-Kensington alongside his wife Veronica. The young chef's impressive culinary background, which includes stints at several Stephen Starr restaurants, has earned him recognition from the James Beard Foundation.
Other Philadelphia-based restaurants and chefs have also received nominations across various categories. Greg Vernick's restaurant group, Vernick Philadelphia, is shortlisted for Outstanding Restaurateur, while Emmett, a new restaurant in Olde Kensington, has been named to Esquire's best new restaurants list.
The full list of James Beard Award semifinalists from Philadelphia can be found below:
- Kalaya (Outstanding Restaurant)
- Lovers Bar at Friday Saturday Sunday (Outstanding Bar)
- Amá (Emerging Chef)
- Emmett (Best New Restaurant)
Notably, the list of nominees will be released on March 31, and the ceremony to reveal the winners takes place in Chicago on June 15.
Among the nominees is Kalaya, which has been named a semifinalist for Outstanding Restaurant for the second consecutive year. This Southern Thai restaurant is known for its creative take on childhood-inspired dishes from owner and head chef Chutatip "Nok" Suntaranon. The chef's James Beard Award win in 2023 and appearance on TIME Magazine's list of the world's most influential people last year are testaments to his exceptional culinary skills.
In another notable nod, Lovers Bar at Friday Saturday Sunday has been recognized as a semifinalist for Outstanding Bar for the second year in a row. Paul MacDonald, the creative force behind the bar's innovative "Carousel" cocktail menu, was named one of Wine Enthusiast's Future 40 Tastemakers last summer.
Up-and-coming chefs are also making waves in the competition, with Amá's head chef Frankie Ramirez listed as an Emerging Chef nominee. Ramirez, a self-taught Mexican-American chef, has made a name for himself after opening his own restaurant early last year in Fishtown-Kensington alongside his wife Veronica. The young chef's impressive culinary background, which includes stints at several Stephen Starr restaurants, has earned him recognition from the James Beard Foundation.
Other Philadelphia-based restaurants and chefs have also received nominations across various categories. Greg Vernick's restaurant group, Vernick Philadelphia, is shortlisted for Outstanding Restaurateur, while Emmett, a new restaurant in Olde Kensington, has been named to Esquire's best new restaurants list.
The full list of James Beard Award semifinalists from Philadelphia can be found below:
- Kalaya (Outstanding Restaurant)
- Lovers Bar at Friday Saturday Sunday (Outstanding Bar)
- Amá (Emerging Chef)
- Emmett (Best New Restaurant)
Notably, the list of nominees will be released on March 31, and the ceremony to reveal the winners takes place in Chicago on June 15.
! It's amazing to see all these talented chefs and restaurants getting recognition from the James Beard Awards. Kalaya's creative take on childhood-inspired dishes is genius, and I'm so glad they're being recognized for the second time 
. And can we talk about Amá's head chef Frankie Ramirez? He's killing it as a self-taught Mexican-American chef with an impressive culinary background 
. It's awesome to see up-and-coming chefs like him getting nods from the James Beard Foundation. Philly's food scene is definitely on point right now, and I'm excited to see who'll take home those awards on June 15 
!
Philadelphia's culinary scene is killin' it this year! I'm lovin' how diverse and talented our foodies are 
. Can't wait to try out Amá's menu at this year's James Beard Awards 
#JamesBeardAwards #PhillyFoodScene #Kalaya #LoversBar #Amá
Philly's culinary scene is on fire 
Kalaya's creative take on childhood dishes is giving me major food envy 
Chutatip "Nok" Suntaranon is a genius in the kitchen 
. And can we talk about Paul MacDonald's Carousel cocktail menu? 
It's like nowhere else, I'm obsessed! 
Vernick Philadelphia's group is always killing it, no surprise they're in the running for Outstanding Restaurateur 
Can't wait to see the full list come out in March 
It's awesome that he's getting recognized like this, especially after being on TIME Magazine's list last year. The Carousel cocktail menu at Lovers Bar is also fire 
OMG, yaaas! Philadelphia's culinary scene is killin' it this year! 
Can't wait for March 31st when we get the full list... 
And I'm loving that Kalaya and Lovers Bar are getting recognition - those guys are killing it with their creative takes on classic dishes! 
Kalaya's a great example of how creative you can be with Southern Thai cuisine. I've been there and the owner-chef Nok's childhood-inspired dishes are actually really well done. And Lovers Bar at Friday Saturday Sunday's "Carousel" cocktail menu sounds like so much fun to try! 
And can we talk about Lovers Bar at Friday Saturday Sunday? Their "Carousel" cocktail menu is giving me all the feels 
Can't wait to see the full list of nominees and winners... March 31 can't come soon enough! 
. It's awesome to see up-and-coming chefs like Frankie Ramirez getting a nod too, they're bringing fresh talent to the scene 
. And what's with all the focus on up-and-coming chefs? Can't we just give some love to the seasoned pros who have been doing it for years? Like, I'd rather see Greg Vernick get the Outstanding Restaurateur award than some young hotshot like Frankie Ramirez 
. And don't even get me started on Lovers Bar being nominated for a third time... it's just a bar with a cool name and a bunch of hipster cocktails 
. Give me a break!