This year’s list of James Beard Foundation Award semifinalists includes 24 Bay Area and Northern California restaurants, chefs and leaders in the food and beverage world.

Among them are well-loved Bay Area restaurants and bars like San Francisco’s House of Prime Rib, Foreign Cinema and Smuggler’s Cove alongside newer-to-the-scene talents like Chef Steve Joo of Joodooboo in Oakland, Fik Saleh and Reka Saleh of Fikscue Craft BBQ in Alameda and Placer County chefs Eric Alexander and Courtney McDonald of Restaurant Josephine, located in Auburn.

The impressive representation of the Bay Area on the list of semifinalists might signal that the region is getting more recognition this year by the James Beard Awards team. But the real test will come in June with the announcement of the winners — last year, no Bay Area restaurant or chefs were among the major awardees at the annual Chicago ceremony. The same thing happened in 2023 and 2024.

The list of finalists will be announced in early April.

Outstanding Restaurateur: Stuart Brioza and Nicole Krasinski, Atomic Workshop (The Anchovy Bar, The Progress, and State Bird Provisions), San Francisco; and Srijith Gopinathan and Ayesha Thapar, Ettan, Copra, and Eylan, Palo Alto, San Francisco, Los Altos and Menlo Park

Outstanding Chef: Steve Joo, Joodooboo, Oakland

Best New Restaurant: The Happy Crane, San Francisco

Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker: Monique Feybesse and Paul Feybesse, Tarts de Feybesse, Oakland

Outstanding Hospitality: House of Prime Rib, San Francisco

Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program: The Progress, San Francisco

Outstanding Bar: Smuggler’s Cove, San Francisco

Best New Bar: The Valley Club, San Francisco

Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service: Paul Einbund, The Morris, San Francisco; and Derek Stevenson, Auro, Calistoga

Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service: Kevin Diedrich, Pacific Cocktail Haven, San Francisco

Best Chef: California: Eric Alexander and Courtney McDonald, Restaurant Josephine, Auburn; Kim Alter, Nightbird, San Francisco; Harrison Cheney, Sons & Daughters, San Francisco; Sarah Cooper and Alan Hsu, Sun Moon Studio, Oakland; Geoff Davis, Burdell, Oakland; Zareen Khan, Zareen’s, Palo Alto; Emma Lipp and Stephanie Reagor, Valley Bar & Bottle, Sonoma; Brandon Rice, Ernest, San Francisco; Fik Saleh and Reka Saleh, Fikscue Craft BBQ, Alameda; Kosuke Tada, Mijoté, San Francisco

Beyond avocado: Toastique opens in San Jose

Silicon Valley’s first Toastique, a gourmet toast and juice bar, opened this weekend at downtown San Jose’s San Pedro Square with an all-day menu and several grand-opening specials.

Toastique was founded in 2018 by Brianna Keefe, who had fine-tuned her own avocado toast while at James Madison University. When her flagship location in Washington, D.C., generated more than $1 million in sales during its first year in business, Keefe launched a franchising model.

Toastique now boasts dozens of franchise locations — and counting — in 18 states and D.C.

The Avocado Smash remains the bestseller at the Bay Area’s first Toastique location, in Danville, which opened in 2024. That signature creation tops rustic bread (gluten-free is available) with avocado, marinated tomatoes, watermelon radish slices and microgreens. Rounding out the options are the Smoked Salmon, PB Crunch, Tomato Burrata, Spicy Crab. Tuscan Tuna, Greek and 3-Cheese Italian toasts.

“We make everything in-house — from the hummus and guacamole to our aiolis, pesto and marinated tomatoes,” entrepreneur and franchise owner Rafi Ibrahimi said.

Toastique also does a big business in smoothies, superfruit bowls, fresh-pressed juices and wellness shots, and offers a children’s menu. The chain brews Lineage Coffee’s tri-blend of beans sourced from Guatemala, Brazil and Ethiopia.

This week’s specials to welcome customers are: Today, Feb. 1, receive a free drip coffee with any $10 purchase.

On Monday, Feb. 2, make any purchase and you can buy a 12-ounce juice on tap for $5. On Tuesday, Feb. 3, make any purchase and receive a free coffee or espresso drink. And on Wednesday, Feb. 4, all 16-ounce smoothies are priced at $6.

Details: Open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily at 145 W. Santa Clara St., San Jose; toastique.com

Send restaurant news tips to Linda Zavoral at lzavoral@bayareanewsgroup.com, Kate Bradshaw at kbradshaw@bayareanewsgroup.com, John Metcalfe at jmetcalfe@bayareanewsgroup.com or Jason Mastrodonato at jmastrodonato@bayareanewsgroup.com.