James Beard Awards have been postponed due to coronavirus

The James Beard Foundation announced Thursday that it has postponed the 2020 James Beard Awards due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The “Oscars” of the restaurant world, the James Beard restaurants and chefs awards ceremony was supposed to take place in Chicago on May 4. Its media awards were scheduled for April 24 in New York.

However, both awards, and the leadership awards originally scheduled for May 3 in Chicago have now been postponed, the JBF said in a released statement. The James Beard Awards will now take place this summer, though the exact date has not yet been determined.

The organization will, however, still announce award nominees as planned on March 25.

The JBF announced earlier its awards semifinalists last month, and the following 17 Seattle-area chefs were among them.

Best New Restaurant

Il Nido

Outstanding Chef

Holly Smith, Cafe Juanita, Kirkland

Outstanding Baker

Matt Tinder, Saboteur Bakery, Bremerton

Outstanding Hospitality

Canlis

Outstanding Wine Program

L’Oursin

Outstanding Wine, Beer or Spirits Producer

Steve Luke, Cloudburst Brewing

Rising Star Chef

Liz Kenyon, Rupee Bar

Shota Nakajima, Adana

Best Chef: Northwest & Pacific (AK, HI, OR, WA)

Chera Amlag, Hood Famous Cafe + Bar

Jay Blackinton, Hogstone’s Wood Oven, Orcas Island

Logan Cox, Homer

Sun Hong, By Tae

Mitch Mayers, Sawyer

Mutsuko Soma, Kamonegi

Aaron Verzosa, Archipelago

Chad White, Zona Blanca, Spokane

Rachel Yang and Seif Chirchi, Joule