These two Arizona chefs are James Beard Award finalists
Valentine's Crystal Kass and Bacanora's Rene Andrade are still in the running for a James Beard Award. Two Arizona chefs, Valentine's Crystal Kass and Bacanora's Rene Andrade, are finalists for the James Beard Award. Kass is in the Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker category, while Andrade is a finalist for Best Chef Southwest. The James Beard Foundation's awards are among the highest honors in the culinary arts and have the power to put restaurants on the national map. The winners will be announced at the gala ceremony in Chicago in June.
Published : 4 weeks ago by Jessica Boehm in Tech
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Valentine's Crystal Kass is a finalist in the Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker category. Photo: Jeremy Duda/Axios Phoenix
Only two Arizona chefs remain in the running for a coveted James Beard Award following the announcement of finalists Wednesday. Why it matters: The James Beard Foundation's awards are among the highest honors in the culinary arts and have the power to put restaurants on the national map.
Driving the news: Valentine's Crystal Kass is a finalist in the Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker category and Bacanora's Rene Andrade is a finalist for Best Chef Southwest.
Flashback: Both Kass and Andrade were semifinalists in their respective categories last year. But neither made the finalist list.
• Valentine opened in 2020 inside mid-century modern furniture store Modern Manor in the Melrose District.
• Bacanora opened in 2021 on Grand Avenue. Andrade is also a co-owner of Espiritu in Mesa and Huarachis Taqueria in downtown Phoenix.
What's next: The winners will be announced at the gala ceremony in Chicago in June.