New England-centric James Beard Nominations

Culled from Serious Eats:

Best New Restaurant
Petite Jacqueline, Portland, ME
Trade, Boston

Outstanding Bar Program
Cook & Brown Public House, Providence, RI
Drink, Boston

Outstanding Chef
Jody Adams, Rialto, Cambridge, MA
Melissa Kelly, Primo, Rockland, ME

Outstanding Pastry Chef
Joanne Chang, Flour Bakery + Cafe, Boston
Maura Kilpatrick, Sofra Bakery and Cafe, Cambridge, MA
Cheryl Maffai and Jonathan Stevens, Hungry Ghost Bread, Northampton, MA

Outstanding Restaurant
Fore Street, Portland, ME
Oleana, Cambridge, MA

Outstanding Service
L'Espalier, Boston

Outstanding Wine Program
No. 9 Park, Boston
Troquet, Boston

Rising Star Chef of the Year
Benjamin Sukle, The Dorrance, Providence, RI

Best Chef: Northeast
Jamie Bissonnette, Coppa, Boston
Jason Bond, Bondir, Cambridge, MA
Kara Brooks, Still River Café, Eastford, CT
Penelle, Megan, and Phoebe Chase and Ted LaFage, Chase's Daily, Belfast, ME
Tim Cushman, O Ya, Boston
Krista Kern Desjarlais, Bresca, Portland, ME
Brian Hill, Francine Bistro, Camden, ME
Liz Jackson, Libby's Bistro, Gorham, NH
Matt and Kate Jennings, La Laiterie, Providence, RI
Demos Regas, Emilitsa, Portland, ME
Bjorn Somlo, Nudel, Lenox, MA
Champe Speidel, Persimmon, Bristol, RI
Danai Sriprasert and Nattasak Wongsaichua, Boda, Portland, ME
Bill Taibe, LeFarm, Westport, CT
Sai Viswanath, DeWolf Tavern, Bristol, RI
Eric Warnstedt, Hen of the Wood, Waterbury, VT

I guess I'm rooting for Jody Adams, Joanne Chang, and the folks at Chase's Daily... but more than anything I think this annual rite is about adding restaurants to the wish list.