The James Beard Foundation today announced its 2025 finalists, and both Roberto Alcocer of Oceanside's Michelin-starred Valle restaurant and Tara Monsod of Animae in downtown San Diego & Le Coq in La Jolla are named as finalists in the Best Chef, California category. This marks the first time San Diego has had two chefs included as semi-finalists.
Chef Roberto Alcocer was the executive chef at Malva restaurant in Mexico's Valle de Guadalupe since the open air eatery debuted on Mina Penélope winery in 2014. Prior to joining Malva, the Ensendada native with Oaxacan roots worked in some of the top kitchens around the globe, including The World's 50 Best Restaurants honorees Pujol in Mexico City and La Broche in Spain. In 2021, Alcocer relocated his family to San Diego's North County city of Oceanside and joined the team at the Mission Pacific Hotel by Hyatt to open Valle restaurant, which offers menu centered around open-flame and charcoal cooking with sweeping views of the Oceanside Pier. In July 2023, Valle was awarded a Michelin Star by the Michelin Guide California.
This is the second year in a row Chef Tara Monsod has been named a semi-finalist for the James Beard Best Chef, California category. Last year, Monsod made it to the finals, being the first San Diego chef to ever do so.
Monsod previously cooked in the kitchens at such San Diego restaurants as Herringbone, Tender Greens, and Juniper and Ivy, before taking on her first Executive Chef role at Animae following several short-lived chef tenures at celebrity chef Brian Malarkey's Asian-inspired, upscale steakhouse concept. During her three year tenure at Animae, Monsod has become known for introducing many Filipino dishes on the menu. Last year, Monsod took the reins at Malarkey's new Le Coq French steakhouse restaurant in La Jolla.
Among the local semifinalists recognized by the James Beard Foundation this year is Roma Norte, a sleek Mexican cocktail bar located in downtown San Diego, which received a nod in the Best New Bar category. The concept, from the team behind Puerto Mexican restaurant chain and located directly adjacent to the Seaport Village location, draws its inspiration from the vibrant Roma Norte neighborhood in Mexico City, with bar director Beau du Bois delivering an ambitious cocktail program that blends innovation with artistry. Roma Norte’s emphasis on late-night service and elevated, globally inspired beverages has set it apart as a unique addition to the San Diego bar scene.
Established in 1990, the James Beard Awards is considered to be among the nation’s most prestigious honors, recognizing exceptional talent in the culinary and food media industries, as well as "a demonstrated commitment to racial and gender equity, community, sustainability, and a culture where all can thrive." The James Beard Awards further the Foundation’s mission to celebrate, nurture, and honor America’s diverse culinary heritage through programs that educate and inspire.
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, although recently, several have made the semifinalist list, including Monsod (2024), Jon Bautista (2023), Anthony Wells (2022), and Claudette Zepeda (2019).
The full list of 2025 Restaurant and Chef Awards semifinalists can be found on the James Beard Foundation website. Finalists will be announced on Wednesday, April 2, and winners will be announced at the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards ceremony on Monday, June 16 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.
For more information about the James Beard Foundation Awards, visit jamesbeard.org/awards.
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, although recently, several have made the semifinalist list, including Monsod (2024), Jon Bautista (2023), Anthony Wells (2022), and Claudette Zepeda (2019).
The full list of 2025 Restaurant and Chef Awards semifinalists can be found on the James Beard Foundation website. Finalists will be announced on Wednesday, April 2, and winners will be announced at the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards ceremony on Monday, June 16 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.
For more information about the James Beard Foundation Awards, visit jamesbeard.org/awards.
