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Interview with 3 Local Chefs, Now James Beard Foundation Awards Semifinalists

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CTbites Team

A now seven-time nominee from Connecticut and two chefs from Westchester County have been named Best Chef semifinalists in the 2020 James Beard Foundation Awards. Tyler Anderson has carried the torch for Connecticut since 2014 at Millwright’s Restaurant in Simsbury. Newcomers David DiBari from The Cookery in Dobbs Ferry and Eric Gao from O Mandarin in Hartsdale are showing the nation that what is happening in Westcheter’s kitchens should be paid attention to.

Last year, the James Beard Foundation announced it was redefining the regions that make up the Best Chef awards since 2012. Once its own category, the five New York City boroughs will now contend with the rest of the state, which used to fall under the New England region. A statement says this is an effort to begin to “level the playing field” and recognize just how rich the dining world is across America. This year, NYS has 20 semifinalists; just four are outside of NYC.

“In a small town in Westchester, and you’ve been cooking for 11 years, you just didn’t really think that this is something you’d be noted for,” DiBari says. “And it really honestly feels absolutely amazing.”

“WTF!” was DiBari’s response upon hearing the news through a relative on social media. “Everyone knows the James Beard awards have to be the Grammys of the hospitality industry,” he says.


CT Chefs, Bakers, Bartenders, & Servers Compete For 2019 CRAzies Awards: YOU VOTE!

Features Awards

Stephanie Webster

CTbites was thrilled to be a part of the judging process for the 2019 CRAzies Awards Gala presented by the Connecticut Restaurant Association. Each year, the CRAzies recognizes the exceptional ability and talent of Connecticut’s restaurant community. More than 700 Restaurant owners, operators, chefs, vendors and more will come together to celebrate the success of the industry at their awards gala at Foxwoods Resort Casino on Monday, December 2. VOTE here for your favorites.


Congrats To James Beard Awards Semifinalists: Brian Lewis & Tyler Anderson

Features Awards

Stephanie Webster

The James Beard Foundation announced today its list of Restaurant and Chef Award semifinalists for the 28th annual James Beard Foundation Awards. Selected from a list of more than 20,000 online entries, the prestigious group of semifinalists in 21 categories represents a wide range of culinary talent, from exceptional chefs and dining destinations nationally and in ten different regions across the U.S., to the best new restaurants, outstanding bar programs, bakers, and rising star chefs 30 or younger.

CT has two semifinalists for Best Chef: Northeast (CT, MA, ME, NH, NY State, RI, VT). 

Congrats to  Brian Lewis, The Cottage, Westport, CT and Tyler Anderson, Millwright’s, Simsbury CT!

Winners of the 2018 James Beard Media Awards will be announced on Friday, April 27, 2018. Good luck to out local CT chefs. The honor is well deserved.  See this year’s full semifinalist list at jamesbeard.org/awards


Connecticut Magazine's "Experts' Picks" & Readers' Choice Dining Awards

Restaurant Awards Best of CT

CTbites Team

Get ready to bite into the restaurants judged the best of the best in Connecticut by the "experts" from Connecticut Magazine, who range from veteran restaurant critics and food writers to contemporary bloggers who track the trends—and hottest, newest places—along with cookbook authors and even a former restaurant owner. And to make sure the state's hottest food destination (Fairfield County, of course) was well represented, our friends at Connecticut Magazine reached out to CTbites for key input.

Altogether, with some food savvy Connecticut Magazine editors sprinkled in, it's a group for which dining is a passion—and dining at the best places is an art that takes constantly having a collective finger on the pulse of the Connecticut dining scene.

Taken together, Connecticut Magazine's Readers' Choice Dining Awards and its Experts' Picks feature make for a beautiful January magazine, as they also provide a comprehensive view of the state's tastiest places to eat well.

Click, enjoy and let us know if Connecticut Magazine got it right: