The James Beard Foundation today announced its Restaurant and Chef Award semifinalists for the 31st annual James Beard Foundation Awards, and one San Diego chef made the coveted list.
The James Beard Foundation today announced its 2023 finalists, and Chef Jonathan Bautista of Kingfisher modern Vietnamese restaurant in San Diego's Golden Hill is named as a finalist in the Best Chef, California category. Bautista graduated from The Art Institute of California with an Associates of Science in Culinary Arts in 2005, and began his career as a line cook at now-defunct Roy’s in La Jolla. He eventually moved on to become a sous chef at Kitchen 1540 in Del Mar under Chef Paul Mccabe before leaving to join the opening team of Michael Voltaggio’s INK in Los Angeles. Bautista returned to San Diego as chef de cuisine of Kitchen 1540 in late 2011, and in late 2013, he became head chef of Georges at the Cove under Chef/Owner Trey Foshee. In 2019, Bautista left Georges and joined Common Theory in Kearny Mesa.
Each award category has an individual committee made up of industry professionals who volunteer their time to oversee the policies, procedures, and selection of judges for their respective Awards program. All JBF Award winners receive a certificate and a medallion engraved with the James Beard Foundation Awards insignia. There are no cash prizes. No San Diego chef has ever won a James Beard Award.
The full list of 2023 Restaurant and Chef Awards semifinalists can be found on the James Beard Foundation website. Finalists will be announced on Wednesday, March 29, and winners will be celebrated at the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards Ceremony on Monday, June 5, 2023, at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.
The full list of 2023 Restaurant and Chef Awards semifinalists can be found on the James Beard Foundation website. Finalists will be announced on Wednesday, March 29, and winners will be celebrated at the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards Ceremony on Monday, June 5, 2023, at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.
