COURTESY JAMES BEARD FOUNDATION
The semifinalists were selected from among some 24,000 entries. The foundation will announce the final nominees March 15. The 2017 James Beard Media Awards will be announced April 25, while winners of the chef and restaurant and other categories will be announced May 1.
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Senia, long planned and recently opened by chefs Chris Kajioka and Anthony Rush, and Vino, run by master sommelier Chuck Furuya, have been nominated for 2017 James Beard Foundation Awards.
Senia, at 75 N. King St., was nominated in the Best New Restaurant category, while Vino, at 500 Ala Moana Blvd. in Waterfront Plaza, was nominated in the Outstanding Wine Program category.
Both restaurants are among the semifinalists announced Wednesday by the New York-based James Beard Foundation. There were 27 new-restaurant semifinalists and 20 wine program semifinalists. No Hawaii chefs were named semifinalists in the regional Best Chef or Rising Star Chef of the Year categories this year.
Another Hawaii connection is among the semifinalists, however. Belinda Leong and Michel Suas of B. Patisserie in San Francisco were nominated for Outstanding Baker. B. Patisserie creations are available in Hawaii at Kona Coffee Purveyors in the International Market Place in Waikiki.
The semifinalists were selected from among some 24,000 entries. The foundation will announce the final nominees March 15. The 2017 James Beard Media Awards will be announced April 25, while winners of the chef and restaurant and other categories will be announced May 1.