More than 20 Bay Area and NorCal restaurants, chefs, bakers and wine/cocktail specialists have been named semifinalists in the 2025 James Beard Awards competition.

“It is an honor to recognize your distinctive talents that enrich America’s culinary landscape,” the awards committee said to the semifinalists in Wednesday’s announcement.

The finalists will be announced online April 2 and the winners June 16 at a live Chicago ceremony.

For the national awards, the Bay Area and NorCal are represented by nominees from a diverse array of culinary specialties. Ten 10 NorCal chefs (or chef couples) and 10 SoCal chefs will compete for the Best Chef: California title. Last year’s winner was chef Lord Maynard Llera of the Los Angeles restaurant Kuya Lord. (You can find the full list of semifinalists at www.jamesbeard.org/awards.

Here are the semifinalists from this region:

Outstanding Restaurateur: Stuart Brioza and Nicole Krasinski of State Bird Provisions, The Progress and The Anchovy Bar in San Francisco

Outstanding Chef: Suzette Gresham-Tognetti of Acquerello in San Francisco

Outstanding Restaurant: Benu in San Francisco

Emerging Chef: Spencer Horowitz of Hadeem in San Francisco

Best New Restaurant: Four Kings in San Francisco

Outstanding Bakery: Quail and Condor in Healdsburg

Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker: Monique Feybesse of Tarts de Feybesse in Oakland

Outstanding Hospitality: Harbor House Inn in Elk, Mendocino County

Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program: Kitchen Istanbul in San Francisco

Outstanding Bar: True Laurel in San Francisco

Best New Bar (new category): The Halfway Club in San Francisco

Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service (new category): Tonya Pitts at One Market in San Francisco; Jacob Brown at Lazy Bear in San Francisco

Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service (new category): Danny Louie at KAIYO in San Francisco

Best Chef: California: • Darryl Bell of Stateline Road Smokehouse in Napa

• Jonny Black of Chez Noir in Carmel

• Val Cantu of Californios in San Francisco

•Richard Lee of Saison in San Francisco

•Gaby Maeda of Friends & Family in Oakland

• Jordan Makableh and Saif Makableh of Mazra in Redwood City

• Laura Ozyilmaz and Sayat Ozyilmaz of Dalida in San Francisco

• Kosuke Tada of Mijote in San Francisco

•Ari Weiswasser of Glen Ellen Star in Glen Ellen

• Nite Yun of Lunette in San Francisco