The semifinalists for the James Beard Awards are out and, for a second straight year, a Nashville place was listed as one of the best new restaurants in the country. Lockeland Table, Hal Holden-Bache's farm-inspired place in East Nashville, is short-listed with 28 others, including Hog & Hominy in Memphis. This follows The Catbird Seat's semifinal nod last year.
Tandy Wilson of City House and Tyler Brown of Capitol Grille have been named semifinalists for Best Chef: Southeast. Joining them on the list for the first time since 2009 is Margot McCormack, who was nominated for her work at Margot Cafe & Bar. This is the third nomination each for Wilson and McCormack. (Note: As best we can tell, this is five years in a row for Wilson to be a semifinalist. I'd love to tell you definitively, but the @#*$^@#*$& Beard Award database is from hell.)
Four other Tennesseans made the cut: Joseph Lenn of The Barn at Blackberry Farm in Walland, Daniel Lindley of St. John's in Chattanooga, and Andrew Ticer and Michael Hudman of Andrew Michael Italian Kitchen in Memphis
The competition is after the break:
