Four Mexican Restaurants Semifinalists for Best New Restaurant

Four Mexican Restaurants in Running for Best New Restaurant

Four Mexican restaurants are among the semifinalists in the Best New Restaurant category for the The James Beard Foundation 2013 Restaurant and Chef Awards, and a number of other Mexican/Latin restaurants and professionals have been named semifinalists in other categories.

The semifinalists were chosen from a list of over 44,000 online entries. Finalists will be announced March 18, and winners will be announced at the gala awards ceremony May 6 in New York City.

Congratulations and good luck to the Mexican/Latin restaurants, and chefs from those establishments, selected as semifinalists in this prestigious industry competition.

Best New Restaurant

Empellón Cocina, New York City

Mateo Tapas, Duram, N.C.

Mi Casa by José Andrés at Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, Dorado, Puerto Rico

Zacatecas Tacos & Tequila, Albuquerque, N.M.

Best Bar Program

Rivera, LA

Outstanding Pastry Chef

Laura Sawicki, La Condesa, Austin

Outstanding Restaurant

Jaleo, Washington, D.C.

Outstanding Restaurateur

Levi Goode, Goode Company Restaurants including Goode Company Taqueria, Houston

Mike Klank and Eddie Hernandez, Taqueria del Sol, Atlanta

Outstanding Service

Topolobampo, Chicago

Outstanding Wine, Spirits or Beer Professional

Ron Cooper, Del Maguey Single Village Mezcal, Taos, N.M.

Best Chef New York City

Alex Stupak, Empellón Cocina

Best Chef Southwest

Hugo Ortega, Hugo’s, Houston

Rene Ortiz, La Condesa, Austin

Armando Pomales, Café el Central, El Paso

Best Chef West

John Sedlar, Rivera, Los Angeles

Ricardo Zarate, Mo-Chica, Los Angeles