Two Alabama chefs and one beverage professional have been named semifinalists for the 2025 James Beard Awards, one of the food and beverage world’s most prestigious honors.

The James Beard Foundation announced its restaurant and chef semifinalists this morning.

The semifinalists from Alabama are:

Jose Medina Camacho of Adios in Birmingham for Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service.

David Bancroft of Acre in Auburn for Best Chef: South.

Arwen Rice of Red or White in Mobile for Best Chef: South.

Most categories include 20 semifinalists, and the field will be narrowed to five finalists on April 2.

The overall winners will be announced at the 2024 James Beard Foundation Awards ceremony, which will be held on June 16 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.

Named for the celebrated chef, cookbook author and television personality whom the New York Times called “the dean of American cookery,” the James Beard Awards were first presented in 1991 and have become known as “the Oscars of the food world.”

Previous James Beard Award winners from Alabama include:

Adam Evans, Automatic Seafood and Oysters, Birmingham, Best Chef: South, 2022.

Highlands Bar and Grill, Birmingham, Most Outstanding Restaurant, 2018.

Dolester Miles, Highlands Bar and Grill, Birmingham, Most Outstanding Pastry Chef, 2018.

Chris Hastings, Hot and Hot Fish Club, Birmingham, Best Chef: South, 2012.

The Bright Star, Bessemer, America’s Classic, 2010.

Frank Stitt, Highlands Bar and Grill, Best Chef: Southeast, 2001; named to the James Beard Foundation’s Who’s Who of Food & Beverage in America, 2011.

For the complete list of this year’s restaurant and chef semifinalists, go here.

This post will be updated.