A local restaurant and two Connecticut chefs have been named semifinalists in the 2024 James Beard Foundation awards.
Peruvian restaurant Coracora in West Hartford is one of 20 nominees nationally for the foundation’s prestigious Outstanding Restaurant award.
Coracora has been a semifinalist for three years straight in that category. In 2023, the Connecticut Restaurant Association named Coracora as its Restaurant of the Year.
Also, the foundation selected David Standridge, the chef at Shipwright’s Daughter in Mystic, as a semifinalist for Best Chef in the Northeast. Shipwright’s Daughter is known for its locally sourced seafood.
Another chef in the seaside town, Renee Touponce at Mystic’s The Port of Call, was among 19 nominees across the country for Outstanding Chef. The Port of Call is a nautical-themed cocktail lounge and restaurant near the foot of the Mystic River.
The winners will be announced at the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards Ceremony on June 10 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.
