It's winter, so it's totally OK to indulge in a bit of boredom eating. In case you can't quite decide where to go (and put down the chips, seriously, just please), consider the local semi-finalists for 2010 James Beard Awards. Washingtonians definitely have something to be proud about.
Although it is totally unfair that New York City has its own best restaurant category, the District still made its presence known throughout each category. Amongst the restaurants recognized were Vidalia, J&G Steakhouse, Minibar and Marcel’s.
The sole D.C. nominee for Outstanding Chef, Jose Andres, was nominated for Minibar. Andres also co-owns a handful of notable (and beloved, if you ask us) local eateries, including Jaleo and Zaytinya.
Johnny Monis of Koni nabbed a nom for Rising Star Chef of the Year, and the aptly named Amanda Cook of CityZen at Mandarin Oriental was nominated for Best Pastry Chef.
The Metro area includes a handful of nominees for Best Chef: Mid Atlantic, including "Top Chef" runner-up Bryan Voltaggio of Volt in Frederick, Md. Voltaggio's brother Michael took top honors on the reality show.
The awards will be presented May 3. Check out the complete nominee list here.
