James Beard Award Names Four Milwaukee Semifinalists

Three renowned chefs and one premier restaurant from the Milwaukee area were announced as semifinalists last week for the prestigious 2010 James Beard Awards. The awards are considered the Oscars of the culinary world.

Sanford, a restaurant owned by past James Beard Award winner chef Sanford D'Amato and his wife, Angie, was nominated for Outstanding Restaurant of the year.

Justin Aprahamian, chef de cuisine at Sanford, was nominated for Rising Star Chef of the year, an award which recognizes chefs younger than 30. Among the list of his competitors is Kevin Gillespie, chef at Woodfire Grill in Atlanta and a contestant on last season's "Top Chef".

Among the 20 semifinalists for Best Chef Midwest are Peggy Magister, chef-owner of Crazy Water, and Dan Van Rite, executive chef of Hinterland in Milwaukee's Historic Third Ward.

Finalists will be announced March 22 in New Orleans, and the winners will be announced May 3 in New York.

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