NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – Several New Mexico eateries and their staff were recognized by the James Beard Awards. Story continues below Legislature: Push for education and housing bills expected this legislative session Weather: Coldest in years for some before slow warm-up New Mexico: CYFD settles lawsuit over failure to protect abused children Crime: One in custody after shooting at officers during traffic stop The James Beard Awards, considered to be among the nation’s most prestigious honors, announced its 2025 Restaurant and Chef Award semifinalists Wednesday. This round of awards comes with three new categories: Best New Bar, Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service, and Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service. An Albuquerque restaurant and the owner of a craft cocktail bar are in the running for two of the three new categories. Semifinalists in New Mexico are highlighted below: Outstanding Bakery 17 Berkshire, Memphis, TN Atelier Ortega, Jackson Hole, WY Bellegarde Bakery, New Orleans, LA Carissa's the Bakery, Easthampton, NY Coda, Albuquerque, NM Dan The Baker, Columbus, OH Fan Fan Doughnuts, Brooklyn, NY Gusto Bread, Long Beach, CA JinJu Patisserie, Portland, OR Koffeteria, Houston, TX The Local General Store, Honolulu, HI Machine Shop, Philadelphia, PA Nathaniel Reid Bakery, Kirkwood, MO Patisserie Jacqui, Bisbee, AZ Quail and Condor, Healdsburg, CA Saint Bread, Seattle, WA Secret Bakery, Ferndale, MI Starship Bagel, Lewisville, TX Super Secret Ice Cream, Bethlehem, NH Vienne, Bozeman, MT Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program Bar Brava, Minneapolis, MN Campo at Los Poblanos, Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, NM Càphê Roasters, Philadelphia, PA Charleston, Baltimore, MD Elske, Chicago, IL Hawksmoor, New York, NY Hop Alley, Denver, CO JJ's Restaurant, Kansas City, MO Kitchen Istanbul, San Francisco, CA Leo's House of Thirst, Asheville, NC Ltd Edition Sushi, Seattle, WA Lucian Books and Wine, Buckhead, GA Macchialina , Miami, FL March, Houston, TX Oyster Club, Mystic, CT Pluck Wine Bar and Restaurant, New Orleans, LA Spencer, Ann Arbor, MI Strong Water, Anaheim, CA Taconeta, El Paso, TX Waxlight Bar à Vin, Buffalo, NY Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service Anu Apte, Rob Roy, Seattle, WA Kursten Berry, Twisted Soul Cookhouse & Pours, Atlanta, GA Jax Donahue, Carry On, Phoenix, AZ Kate Gerwin, Happy Accidents, Albuquerque, NM Abigail Gullo, LOA Bar, New Orleans, LA McLain Hedges and Mary Allison Wright, Yacht Club, Denver, CO Colleen Hughes, Supperland, Charlotte, NC Ignacio Jimenez, Superbueno, New York, NY Andra "AJ" Johnson, Serenata, Washington, D.C. Dre Levon, Clavel, Baltimore, MD Danny Louie, KAIYŌ, San Francisco, CA Christopher Marty, Best Intentions, Chicago, IL Nathaniel Meiklejohn, The Jewel Box, Portland, ME Dave Newman, Pint + Jigger, Honolulu, HI Jay Sanders, Wild Child, Shawnee, KS Tobin Shea, Redbird, Los Angeles, CA Oscar Simoza, The Wig Shop, Boston, MA Mike Stankovich, Longfellow, Cincinnati, OH Alan Walter, The Brakes Bar, Baton Rouge, LA Takuma Watanabe, Martiny’s, New York, NY Best Chef: Southwest (AZ, NM, NV, OK)   Olivier Bouzerand, Fait Maison, Edmond, OK Jose Contreras, Amelia's Mexican Kitchen, Tucson, AZ DJ Flores, Milpa, Las Vegas, NV Tahnee Francis, Naija Wife Kitchen, Oklahoma City, OK Donald Hawk, Valentine, Phoenix, AZ Stephen Jones, The Larder & The Delta, Phoenix, AZ Bernie Kantak, Beginners Luck, Scottsdale, AZ Kevin Lee, Birdie's, Edmond, OK Yotaka Martin, Lom Wong, Phoenix, AZ Cory Oppold, COURSE, Scottsdale, AZ Cristian Pontiggia, Sassella, Santa Fe, NM Kattia Rojas, Buen Provecho, Albuquerque, NM Fernando Ruiz, Escondido, Santa Fe, NM Sean Sinclair, Level 5, Albuquerque, NM Eric Smith, The Crown, Oklahoma City, OK Sarah Thompson, Casa Playa, Las Vegas, NV Michael Vakneen, Double Zero Pie & Pub, Las Vegas, NV Eleazar Villanueva, Restaurant de Joël Robuchon, Las Vegas, NV Zack Walters, Sedalia's, Oklahoma City, OK Joseph Wrede, Joseph's Culinary Pub, Santa Fe, NM The Restaurant and Chef Award nominees will be announced on Wednesday, April 2, and winners will be honored at the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards ceremony on Monday, June 16, 2025, at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. This year marks the 35th anniversary of the James Beard Awards. To view the full list of 2025 Restaurant and Chef Award semifinalists, click here.