Two Capitol Hill and Central District chefs have made the list as semifinalists for the James Beard award for Best Chefs: Northwest and Pacific. The nominations alone are an honor and a good reminder you should stop by soon.
In the Central District, Kristi Brown of Communion has been honored as a best chef semifinalist.
In 2022, the James Beard Foundation recognized Brown as one of the great “emerging chefs” in the country. Two years earlier, she opened Communion on the street level of the Liberty Bank Building affordable housing development just east of 23rd and Union. Brown’s version of Seattle Soul continues to draw crowds to this corner of equitable development where Community Roots Housing made establishing and supporting Black businesses a priority of the project.
On 12th Ave, Grayson Pilar Corrales of MariPili is also on the semifinalist list for the best chef in the PNW honor. The Galician tapas bar replaced beloved Cafe Presse on 12th Ave in 2022. At a time coming out of the pandemic when many other restaurateurs were opting for simpler, more streamlined businesses, MariPili was a notable exception with a dedication to craft and the chef’s heritage.
“It was my grandmother who taught me how to cook, and MariPili is kind of based on my grandmother,” Corrales told CHS. “She taught me how to cook from a very young age. She is Galician and she’s from Spain—as well as my grandfather. So, she was always cooking Spanish food and teaching me Spanish recipes.”
For both the chefs, making the best chef list is only the beginning. “In the coming weeks, James Beard judges will go forth to dine, rank, score, and vote on these fine establishments,” Seattle Met reports about the process.
Winners will be announced in June.
You can view the complete James Beard semifinalist roster for 2024 here.
MariPili is located at 1117 12th Ave. Learn more at maripili-tapas-bar.com. Communion Restaurant and Bar can be found at 2350 E Union. Learn more at communionseattle.com.
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I no longer give much credence to awards anymore, you get a trophy, you get a trophy, you get a trophy in an era where the benchmark if set so low.
With that said there are quite a few excellent 3-star and 4-star spots to dine out that may not garner the respect they deserves.
What patrons want is a great meal, servers that act like they’re happy that you came to have an awesome dining experience.
There isn’t really any phenomenal southern cuisine in Seattle.
Catfish Corner is probably the best I have found in Seattle.
Simply Soul Food was better before COVID-19, now the original owner isn’t in the kitchen, just mediocre.
Because there are so few soul food cuisine establishments, it’s easy for a palate to adjust to what’s available that it begins to taste good.
I’m mindful, most millenials, and professionals, and men can’t boil an egg, so anything possibly everything tastes better than Marie Calendar and Stouffers, aren’t exactly, the most reliable sources where to grab a meal.
There may be restraurants outside of Seattle that offer better tasting food but get ignored.
I appreciated Eduardo of June Baby the James Beard winner chef, but like James Beard winner Tom Douglas of Dahlia were just good.
It could be that these chefs have delegated preparing dishes to cheap labor, hired cooks.
My opinion about food is rooted in Chicago where some of the best soul food dishes outside of the home are fantastic in little neighborhood spots.
Chicagoans cooks and chefs put their foot in it (a phrase that signifies great food) from biscuits to full meal with sides of cabbage, collards, mustards, mac-n-cheese, pinto beans, making neck bones, smothered chicken or chops, fried chicken, fried catfish, crappies, blue gills; beef stews, Lousiana Gumbo, and pot roast the star on the plate or in the bowl.
Great southern dishes don’t need fusions of other cultural foods, it stands fabulously on its own.
I’m just not impressed by the offerings here. But, don’t overlook a bowl of Pho, butter chicken, egg foo yong, a plate of bokchoy, or enchiladas in lesser known spots.