Food Nerd TV

The local nominees for Best Chef: South in the 2012 James Bear Foundation Awards.

Tonight, in a ceremony which has been often described as the "Oscars of the food world," the James Beard Foundation will hand out awards to the nation's best chefs and restaurants. Among the nominees are a handful of locals, and we wish them all good luck.

In the category of Outstanding Chef, Donald Link has been nominated with other industry heavyweights such as David Chang, Gary Danko, and Paul Kahan. I'd say that Chef Link deserves the award based solely on the spaghetti with guanciale and fried poached egg at Herbsaint, but no one asked my opinion. For the fourth year in a row, Chef Sue Zemanick from Gautreau's is nominated for Rising Star Chef of the Year, an honor bestowed upon chefs 30 years of age and under. Chef Sue is aged out of this category after this year, so let's hope that she brings home the prize.

But the most watched contest of the evening will likely be in the category of Best Chef: South, where 4 of the 5 nominees hail from New Orleans. Justin Devillier of La Petite Grocery, John Harris of Lilette and Bouligny Tavern, Tory McPhail of Commander's Palace, and Alon Shaya of Domenica have all been nominated for the award, along with some guy from Birmingham. And no disrespect to Chris Hastings and the Hot and Hot Fish Club, but losing this one tonight would be more disappointing than Union Rags' performance at the Derby on Saturday.

In today's poll in the top left hand corner, you can cast your vote for the New Orleans chef most deserving of the award for Best Chef: South. At the time of publishing, Vegas has Alon Shaya listed as the 5 to 2 favorite. You can catch the awards live today at 5:00CST on streaming video.

Kingsley House Beard Event

Kingsley Beard sounds like a character in a Wes Anderson movie but in reality it is cool kids' shorthand for the party going on at the Kingsley House this Sunday, March 21st. The Oscars are like the James Beard Awards for film, and the James Beard Foundation will announce the finalists for their awards on Monday March 22nd in New Orleans. This is only the second year that the nominees will be announced outside of New York City. New Orleans chefs, unlike on Top Chef, are well represented every year at the Beard's, and this year is no exception. Adolfo Garcia, Josh Smith, Scott Boswell, John Harris, the Solazzos, and others are in the running.

So needless to say there will be an atmosphere of excitement in the air. Plus, Peter and I will be there. The former should add to the excitement, while the latter will most certainly smother it. Here are the hip deets: Sunday 3-7 at the Kingsley House. Tickets are $100 for non-members of the James Beard Foundation and you can purchase tickets here.

Music and booze will flow like the Mississippi, no doubt. Chef stalking, too. Most importantly for the purposes of this blog, there will be food and lots of it. Check out this list of chefs who will be providing scrumptious edibles as you try and avoid me.

Mark Quitney – 5 Fifty 5
Andrea Apuzzo – Andrea’s
Haley Bittermann – Bacco
Susan Spicer – Bayona
Darin Nesbit – Bourbon House/Palace Café & Dickie Brennan’s Steakhouse
Frank Brigtsen – Brigtsen’s, Charles Seafood
Holly Goetting – Charley G’s Seafood
Tory McPhail – Commander’s Palace
Emmanuel Loubier – Dante’s Kitchen
David Slater/Chris Wilson – Emeril’s
Greg & Mary Sonnier – Gabrielle at the Uptowner
Brian Landry – Galatoire’s
Donald Link – Herbsaint/Cochon/Butcher
Jacques Leonardi – Jacque Imo’s
Chuck Subra – La Cote Brasserie
Michael Farrell – Le Meritage
Justin Devillier – Le Petite Grocery
Michelle McRaney – Mr. B’s Bistro
Matt Murphy – M Bistro
Kristen Essig – Nola Bean
Richard Hughes – Pelican Club
John Besh – Restaurant August
Adolfo Garcia – Rio Mar, La Boca & A Mano
Scott Boswell – Stella, Stanley
Tariq Hanna – Sucre