Selected nominees are highlighted below. For a complete list of nominees, visit: www.jpfawards.com/nominees

Congrats to all the finalists, and good luck in May!

2010 James Beard Foundation Awards Nominees (Partial List)

BOOK AWARDS
For cookbooks published in English in 2009.

BEVERAGE

Been Doon So Long: A Randall Grahm Vinthology
by Randall Grahm
(University of California Press)

The King of Vodka: The Story of Pyotr Smirnov and the Upheaval of an Empire
by Linda Himelstein
(HarperBusiness)

World Whisky
by Charles Maclean
(DK Publishing)

JOURNALISM AWARDS
For articles published in English in 2009.

CRAIG CLAIBORNE DISTINGUISHED RESTAURANT REVIEWS

Jonathan Gold
LA Weekly
“Sauced,” “Hot Birria, Cold Cerveza,” “Hare Today”

Patric Kuh
Los Angeles
“Border Crossing,” “Peru Calling,” “The Classic”

Jason Sheehan
Westword
“White on White,” “Wonderland,” “Mourning”

WRITING ON SPIRITS, WINE, OR BEER

Dara Moskowitz Grumdahl
Minnesota Monthly
“Chardonnay Uncorked”

Jonathan Gold
LA Weekly
“The New Cocktailians”

Lettie Teague
Food & Wine
“Is Grüner a Great Wine or a Groaner”

Restaurant and Chef Awards

OUTSTANDING CHEF AWARD
A working chef in America whose career has set national industry standards and who has served as an inspiration to other food professionals. Candidates must have been working as chefs for at least the past 5 years.

José Andrés
Minibar
Washington, D.C.

Tom Colicchio
Craft
NYC

Gary Danko
Restaurant Gary Danko
San Francisco

Suzanne Goin
Lucques
Los Angeles

Charles Phan
The Slanted Door
San Francisco

BEST CHEFS IN AMERICA
Chefs who have set new or consistent standards of excellence in their respective regions. Each candidate may be employed by any kind of dining establishment and must have been a working chef for at least the past 5 years. The 3 most recent years must have been spent in the region where the chef is presently working.

Best Chef: Pacific (CA, HI)

Michael Cimarusti
Providence
Los Angeles

Jeremy Fox
Ubuntu
Napa, CA

David Kinch
Manresa
Los Gatos, CA

Matt Molina
Osteria Mozza
Los Angeles

Michael Tusk
Quince
San Francisco

OUTSTANDING WINE AND SPIRITS PROFESSIONAL AWARD
A winemaker, brewer, or spirits professional who has had a significant impact on the wine and spirits industry nationwide. Candidates must have been in the profession for at least 5 years.

Merry Edwards
Merry Edwards Wines
Sebastopol, CA

Paul Grieco
Hearth
NYC

Garrett Oliver
The Brooklyn Brewery
Brooklyn, NY

John Shafer and Doug Shafer
Shafer Vineyards
Napa, CA

Julian P. Van Winkle, III
Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery
Louisville, KY

Sunday Suppers at Lucques have become an L.A. dining institution, a guaranteed splendid evening at any time of the year. This past Sunday, to kill some time while waiting for another Comme Ca Block Party to begin, I stopped by Lucques, not knowing it happened to be the 9th Annual All-American Rib Fest. (Lucques staff wearing cowboy outfits and country music standards on the stereo were big hints, but I digress.)

As I sat at the bar, endless platters of BBQ and all the fixin’s were sent out from the kitchen. Had I not been stuffed from an earlier dim sum session, I would’ve gladly participated in the $45 protein extravaganza. Here’s a rundown of the menu:

• St. Louis style pork ribs
• Braised beef back ribs
• Spicy lamb spare ribs
• “Too-hot-to-handle” chicken wings

~~~

• Cole slaw & baked beans
• Long-cooked collard greens
• Buttered corn-on-the-cob
• Watermelon and lime salad
• Grilled cornbread & wonder bread

~~~

• Warm peach and blackberry crisp with vanilla ice cream

To wash all of this glorious food down, Lucques offered two special lemonades, one with brandy and the other with Jack Daniel’s. Both seemed to be very popular on Sunday. The only thing missing was a “wafer-thin mint” at the end of the meal.

A Lucques Standard: the Maker's Ruby.

While everyone indulged their inner carnivore, I quickly scanned the cocktail list and decided on one of the Lucques Standards, a Maker’s Ruby:

• Maker’s Mark bourbon
• fresh Fitzgerald Ruby Diamond nectarines
• a splash of Bundaberg ginger beer

The Maker’s Ruby was excellent, tangy and perfectly refreshing for a late Sunday afternoon. I’m sure it would’ve made an excellent compliment to all of the smoke and spice.

Other Standards include the Lucques Gimlet (Hangar One vodka with fresh lime juice and mint) and the Green Hound (Chopin vodka, cucumber and grapefruit juice, garnished with mint).

~

Owner/chef Suzanne Goin is renowned for her seasonal menus, so it’s no surprise that the drinks at Lucques reflect that same commitment to freshness and quality. With that in mind I next ordered from the Seasonal Cocktail list, the Fragola Balsamico:

• Miller’s gin
• strawberries
• Cointreau
• balsamic reduction

Summer in a glass: the Fragola Balsamico.

If you’ve ever wanted to sip summer in a chilled glass, the Fragola is the cocktail for you. The Miller’s botanical notes are dominated by the upfront, fresh strawberry aroma and flavor, anchored by the bitter orange of the Cointreau and enhanced by the balsamic reduction. The Fragola’s brilliant red hue makes for an easy conversation starter.

The other Seasonal option was the Black on Black: Leblon cachaça with blackberry compote, thyme, black salt rim.

With summer winding down, now is the time to savor the best of the season. At Lucques, that means more than just what’s on your plate; you’ll taste it in your cocktails as well.

Lucques
8474 Melrose Ave
West Hollywood, CA 90069
(323) 655-6277
www.lucques.com