Just a few Metro Detroit chefs, restaurateurs nominated for James Beard Awards

The prestigious national James Beard Award restaurant and chef categories have been winnowed down to the final nominations.

A list of semifinalists was announced in January that featured more than a dozen chefs and restaurants from Michigan, but only two have made the final ballot.

Mamba Hamissi and Nadia Nijimbere of Baobab Fare in Detroit are among the five chefs and owners from across the country to be listed in the Outstanding Restaurateur category.

One Detroit-area chef, Hajime Sato of Sozai in Clawson has made the final ballot for Best Chef: Great Lakes, a category that includes chefs from Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Michigan.

The semifinalist list for Best Chef: Great Lakes included five chefs from Metro Detroit, including Doug Hewitt of Freya, Ji Hye Kim of Miss Kim, Dan Klenotic of Bellflower and John Yelinek of Ladder 4. Other semifinalists who will not go on to the final ballot include Selden Standard for Outstanding Restaurant, Emerging Chef Rocky Coronado of Nepantla, Alpino for Best New Restaurant, Shatila Bakery for Outstanding Bakery, AlTayeb Restaurant for Outstanding Hospitality and Folk and Spencer for Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages.

The James Beard Award also announced the 2024 Lifetime Achievement, Humanitarian of the Year and Leadership Award winners, which include chefs, farmers and leaders from across the country. Restaurant critic, television personality, writer, editor and novelist Ruth Reichl is honored with the Lifetime Achievement award.

The restaurant and chef winners will be announced at a ceremony at the Lyric Opera in Chicago on June 10.

The last chef from Michigan to win a James Beard Award was pastry chef Warda Bouguettaya in 2022.