Following on from the January JBF semi-finalists reveal, today sees the list whittled down to the ultimate finalists. In the previous round, Utah was represented by eight different names across four categories. Today’s list includes two chefs from the Beehive, set to head to Chicago to compete in the Best Chef Mountain category this Summer. Will they bring home Utah’s first James Beard award? Time will tell.
The full list of nominees in the Mountain region category is as follows:
- Johnny Curiel, Alma Fonda Fina, Denver, CO
- Travis Herbert, Felt Bar & Eatery, Salt Lake City, UT
- Earl James Reynolds, Herb & Omni, Whitefish, MT
- Penelope Wong, Yuan Wonton, Denver, CO
- Nick Zocco, Urban Hill, Salt Lake City, UT
The announcement was made today on the James Beard Foundation website.
Felt Bar & Eatery
I covered their opening in early 2024 in this first look article. Co-owners Richard Romney and Travis Herbert oversee front and back of house, respectively, and have made an impressive mark on the downtown dining scene. The nomination is Herbert’s first for his role at Felt.
Urban Hill
Urban Hill, meanwhile, was the signature dining destination for the Post District development on the edge of downtown SLC, and first opened in 2022. Here’s my own first look at the restaurant from back then. This will be Zocco’s third time on the finalists’ list.
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Hi, I’m Stuart, nice to meet you!  I’m the founder, writer and wrangler at Gastronomic SLC.  I’m a multiple-award winning journalist and have written in myopic detail about the Salt Lake City  dining scene for the better part of seventeen years.
I’ve worked extensively with multiple local publications from Visit Salt Lake to Salt Lake Magazine, not least helped to consult on national TV.  Pause those credits, yep, that’s me! I’m also a former restaurant critic of more than five years, working for the Salt Lake Tribune.   I’m largely fueled by a critical obsession with rice, alliteration and the use of big words I don’t understand.  What they’re saying about me: “Not inaccurate”, “I thought he was older”, “I don’t share his feelings”.
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