Question:
I am a multiple-time James Beard semifinalist and am very proud of that. While I’ve never made the short list, I’ve mentioned on our website and in other situations that I’m a James Beard-nominated chef and restaurant. A reporter slammed me on social media for saying I was Beard-nominated when I am just a semifinalist. Is there an official rule on this? What do I call myself?
– Executive Chef, Atlanta
Answer:
First, congratulations on this distinction! It is a very big deal to be a semifinalist. As the James Beard Foundation presents it, “The James Beard Foundation Awards, aka the Beard Awards, are the food industry’s highest honor. Awards are given in many categories, including chefs and restaurants, books, journalism, broadcast media, and restaurant design and graphics, as well as for lifetime achievements. Time magazine called them ‘the Oscars of the food world.’” In terms of process, “The James Beard Foundation Awards open call-to-entry begins in mid-October. Semifinalists for the Restaurant and Chef Awards are announced in February. All Awards nominees are announced in March. Winners are announced at the Awards Gala and at the Book, Journalism, and Broadcast Media Awards Dinner in April and May.”
The reporter is correct that making the longer list of semifinalists without making the short list of nominees does not entitle you to call yourself a nominee.
However, you can—and should—proudly let people know that you are a semifinalist. The James Beard Foundation (full disclosure, I am working with the foundation on a food waste curriculum for culinary educators called the Full-Use Kitchen) is working to clarify these distinctions and to help operators benefit from receiving the honor at all three levels: semifinalist, nominee, and, of course, winner.
Alison Tozzi Liu, editorial director at the James Beard Foundation, says, “While there is a difference between James Beard Award semifinalists, nominees, and winners, the Foundation recognizes the achievements of all. Beginning this year, semifinalists, nominees and winners of the 2018 JBF Awards will receive seals for their websites so that they can promote their recognition online. Past semifinalists, nominees and winners can write to us at awards@jamesbeard.org and we will send a badge for your website accordingly.”
My advice is to worry less about the distinction between semifinalist and nominee and aggressively promote the fact that you received the semifinalist recognition. Congrats!