Five Locals Named Semifinalists For James Beard Awards

INDIANAPOLIS -- The James Beard Foundation announced semifinalists for its restaurant and chef awards Wednesday, and five from the Circle City made the list in three categories.

Martha Hoover (Café Patachou, Petite Chou Bistro, Napolese, Public Greens, and more) is a semifinalist for Outstanding Restaurateur. Alan Sternberg (Cerulean) is in the running for Rising Star Chef of the Year. And, Jonathan Brooks (Milktooth), Greg Hardesty (Recess) and Abbi Merriss (Bluebeard) are semifinalists for Best Chef in the Great Lakes region.

The James Beard Awards are among the most prestigious in the food world. The semifinalists were chosen from more than 20,000 online entries submitted in 21 categories. 

Finalists will be named March 15 in San Francisco, and you can catch the announcement live via the foundation’s Twitter feed -- @beardfoundation. The winners will be announced at the James Beard Awards Gala in Chicago May 2.

Here are the Indianapolis semifinalists, by category:

Outstanding Restaurateur

Martha Hoover, Patachou, Inc. (Café Patachou, Petite Chou Bistro, Napolese, and more)

Rising Star Chef of the Year

Alan Sternberg, Cerulean

Best Chef: Great Lakes

Jonathan Brooks, Milktooth
Greg Hardesty, Recess
Abbi Merriss, Bluebeard