Now in its 40th year, the foundation was established in honor of the eponymous chef who began his own culinary school, authored numerous cookbooks and proselytized cooking with whole foods. The awards, which were first given in 1991, tend to influence business for restaurants \u2014 even for those who don\u2019t proceed to the finalists round. According to the foundation, a 2025 survey revealed that 96% of semifinalists reported increased business after the announcements.<\/p>\n
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Baroo chef-owner Kwang Uh, right, is a semifinalist in the category of best chef: California. Here he stands with his wife and business partner, Mina Park, in their Arts District restaurant in 2024.<\/p>\n
(Silvia Razgova \/ For The Times)<\/p>\n
For some, it marks recognition in a new era. Kwang Uh received his first semifinalist nod in 2016, when his fermentation-forward Korean restaurant Baroo was an order-at-the-counter spot next to a 7-Eleven in East Hollywood, in the running for the best new restaurant in the state Today, he\u2019s earned his second semifinalist honor for best chef in California for his work in a new, more formal Baroo \u2014 widely lauded for its creativity and modern Korean tasting menu. It was the L.A. Times\u2019 2024 Restaurant of the Year<\/a>, and regularly appears on The Times\u2019 list of 101 Best Restaurants in L.A. <\/p>\n Uh learned the news in a call from his wife, Baroo co-owner Mina Park, as he headed to their Arts District restaurant to prepare for the night\u2019s dinner service.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m very grateful,\u201d he said. \u201cAt the same time, it\u2019s this question like, \u2018Am I really worth it?\u2019 But I\u2019m very thankful.\u201d<\/p>\n The semifinalist nomination came as a surprise to Uh, as he said many people are responsible for the restaurant\u2019s success, including his staff, Park, the customers, his family and other chefs, all of whom inspire him.<\/p>\n L.A.-area chefs have won this category for the last three years: Jon Yao of Kato in 2025<\/a>, Maynard Llera of Kuya Lord in 2024<\/a>, and Justin Pichetrungsi of Anajak Thai Cuisine in 2023<\/a>.<\/p>\n This year\u2019s category of best chef in California includes, in addition to Uh: Angelenos Dave Beran of Seline and Pasjoli; Brian Dunsmoor of Dunsmoor; Sarah Hymanson and Sara Kramer of Kismet and Kismet Rotisserie; Andrew and Michelle Mu\u00f1oz of Moo\u2019s Craft Barbecue; and Charles Namba of Cam\u00e9lia, Ototo and Tsubaki.<\/p>\n Beyond L.A., others in the running are Eric Bost of Carlsbad\u2019s Lilo, Jeune et Jolie, Campfire and Wildland; Tara Monsod of San Diego\u2019s Animae and Le Coq; Viet Nguyen of Fountain Valley\u2019s Nep Cafe and Kei Concepts restaurant group; Daisy Ryan of Los Alamos\u2019 Bell\u2019s and Companion Hospitality group; Emma Lipp and Stephanie Reagor of Sonoma\u2019s Valley Bar & Bottle and Valley Swim Club; Eric Alexander and Courtney McDonald of Auburn\u2019s Restaurant Josephine and Four Tines Farm; Zareen Khan of Zareen\u2019s in Palo Alto, Redwood City and Mountain View; Fik and Reka Saleh of Alameda\u2019s Fikscue Craft BBQ; Oakland\u2019s Sarah Cooper and Alan Hsu of Sun Moon Studio and Geoff Davis of Burdell; and in San Francisco, Kim Alter of Nightbird; Harrison Cheney of Sons & Daughters; Brandon Rice of Ernest; and Kosuke Tada of Mijot\u00e9.<\/p>\n Moo\u2019s Craft Barbecue Owners Andrew and Michelle Mu\u00f1oz at their Lincoln Heights barbecue destination in 2022.<\/p>\n (Shelby Moore \/ For The Times)<\/p>\n When Michelle Mu\u00f1oz learned the news, she screamed so loud that her husband \u2014 and Moo\u2019s Craft Barbecue co-owner \u2014 thought something was wrong.<\/p>\n The husband-and-wife team were named semifinalists in the category in 2023, but never imagined they might find themselves considered again.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen you don\u2019t expect it and then you get the news, it just feels so good,\u201d she said, adding, \u201cIt reminds us that staying focused and grounded over time really matters. This is a huge win, not just for Andrew and myself, but for our entire staff and for the community and everyone that continues to show up for us. It\u2019s hard to talk about it without getting emotional.\u201d<\/p>\n Two L.A. chefs are also contenders for the national outstanding chef category: Holbox and Chichen Itza\u2019s Gilberto Cetina and n\/naka and n\/soto\u2019s Niki Nakayama. Michael Tusk,of San Francisco\u2019s Quince, is also a semifinalist. Semifinalists and nominees in this category not only set high culinary standards, but serve as positive examples in the industry as well.<\/p>\n For the category of outstanding restaurant, only one Los Angeles restaurant is in the running: Chad Colby\u2019s Italian destination Antico Nuovo, in Larchmont. San Francisco\u2019s Foreign Cinema is the state\u2019s only other semifinalist.<\/p>\n Komal co-owner F\u00e1tima J\u00faarez works the line in the kitchen of her combination restaurant and molino in 2024.<\/p>\n (Stephanie Breijo \/ Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n And in the category of emerging chef, which spotlights chefs of \u201cexceptional talent, character, and leadership ability, and who [are] likely to make a significant impact in years to come,\u201d two L.A.-area names are recognized: F\u00e1tima Ju\u00e1rez of Historic South-Central\u2019s Komal, and Jos\u00e9 Olmedo Carles Rojas of Venice\u2019s Si! Mon. Farther north Steve Joo, of Oakland\u2019s Joodooboo, is also a contender.<\/p>\n L.A. is also the home of two contenders in the best new restaurant category: modern-Korean tasting menu Ki, in Little Tokyo, and California izakaya RVR in Venice. The Happy Crane, in San Francisco, is California\u2019s only other semifinalist.<\/p>\n The outstanding restaurateur category recognizes those who use their business \u201cas a vehicle for building community, demonstrate[s] creativity in entrepreneurship, and integrity.\u201d Holly Fox and Adam Weisblatt of Last Word Hospitality \u2014 which operates L.A.\u2019s Found Oyster, Rasarumah, Queen\u2019s and Barra Santos, plus Yucca Valley\u2019s the Copper Room and Pioneertown\u2019s Red Dog Saloon \u2014 are the only Southern Californians represented. In the Bay Area Srijith Gopinathan and Ayesha Thapar of Ettan, Copra and Eylan are semifinalists, as are Stuart Brioza and Nicole Krasinski of Atomic Workshop.<\/p>\n Long Beach\u2019s Gusto Bread, an outstanding-bakery nominee for the last two years, is a semifinalist in the category \u2014 and the only California representative this year.<\/p>\n Hannah Ziskin of Echo Park\u2019s Quarter Sheets is the only Southern California baker in the category of outstanding pastry chef or baker. In Oakland, Tarts de Feybesse\u2019s Monique and Paul Feybesse are also in the running.<\/p>\n Family-run Middle Eastern restaurant Ammatol\u00ed in Long Beach is a semifinalist for outstanding hospitality, as is three-Michelin-starred seafood tasting menu restaurant Providence in Hollywood. San Francisco\u2019s House of Prime Rib is the state\u2019s only other contender.<\/p>\n Kato, in the Arts District, is the only Southern California restaurant or bar for outstanding wine and other beverages program, but just up the coast, in Montecito, is Caruso\u2019s, and farther north is San Francisco\u2019s the Progress.<\/p>\n The mangoneada margarita at Daisy Margarita Bar in Sherman Oaks, pictured in 2025.<\/p>\n (Yasara Gunawardena \/ For The Times)<\/p>\n No L.A.-area bars are in the running this year for the best bar category, though San Diego\u2019s Realm of the 52 Remedies and San Francisco\u2019s Smuggler\u2019s Cove are.<\/p>\n Sherman Oaks\u2019 Daisy Margarita Bar, however, is up for best new bar, as is San Francisco\u2019s the Valley Club.<\/p>\n Jason Lee, of West Hollywood\u2019s Darling, is the only Southern Californian to be recognized as an outstanding professional in cocktail service; San Francisco\u2019s Kevin Diedrich, of Pacific Cocktail Haven, is the only other semifinalist in the state.<\/p>\n The category of outstanding professional in beverage service can recognize much more than alcohol, and L.A.\u2019s only contender is proof: Jack Benchakul, of Chinatown coffee shop Endorffeine, received his first James Beard semifinalist nod this year. California\u2019s only other semifinalists can be found in restaurants: Paul Einbund of San Francisco\u2019s the Morris, and Derek Stevenson of Calistoga\u2019s Auro.<\/p>\n![\"Moo's](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1769047513_945_.jpeg\")
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