The annual semifinalists nominations were released by the James Beard Awards this morning and Kansas City’s food and drink scene has something to celebrate.
By our count, the KC area has six semifinalists. Last year, we had nine nominations. Back in 2022, we had only two. There are a few familiar faces being recognized, as well as several first-time noms.
Read KC’s James Beard semifinalist nominees below. For the full list, read here.
Best New Restaurant: Anjin (1708 Oak St, KCMO, anjinkc.com)
Anjin is one of the James Beard’s 30 nominated restaurants for this category, which is pretty outstanding.
We don’t want to brag but we also dubbed Anjin, a restaurant helmed by Nick Goellner, Leslie Goellner and Drew Little (these three also helm The Antler Room), KC’s No. 1 Best New Restaurant in this month’s feature.
Read our KC’s Best New Restaurants list here.
Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker: Helen Jo Leach of The Town Company (1228 Baltimore Ave, KCMO, hotelkc.com)
Leach was nominated for this category last year. Here’s to hoping the incredible The Town Co. pastry chef secures the win.
Outstanding Bar: Drastic Measures (5817 Nieman Road, Shawnee KS, drasticbar.com)
This Shawnee cocktail bar was a James Beard finalist in 2023, was nominated in 2024 in the same “Outstanding Bar” category and remains a favorite of Kansas City magazine.
Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service: Diana Condori of Fern Bar (2041 Broadway Blvd, KCMO, fernbarkc.com)
Condori is the bar manager of Fern Bar, a cocktail lounge in the Crossroads primarily focused on sugarcane and agave spirit-based cocktails. This Condori’s first James Beard nom. Congrats!
Best Chef Midwest:
Swetha Newcomb, Of Course (7753 W 159th St, Overland Park, KS, ofcoursekc.com)
Chef Swetha Newcomb opened her South Asian-inspired restaurant in 2023, and later that year we dubbed it the Best New Restaurant in KC. What can we say? We have an eye for greatness. Congrats to Chef Swetha on her first James Beard nomination.
Johnny Leach, The Town Company (1228 Baltimore Ave, KCMO, hotelkc.com)
Leach has been a James Beard semifinalist three times before for his work at The Town Co., twice for “Best Chef: Midwest” and another in the highly sought after “Outstanding Chef.” Here’s to hoping he takes home the win!
