Thirteen Colorado restaurants and chefs landed on the James Beard Awards 2022 Restaurant and Chef Awards semifinalists’ list Wednesday.

The winners, including those for Leadership. Lifetime Achievement and Humanitarian of the Year, will be announced March 16 in Scottsdale, Arizona. The finalists will celebrate at a ceremony June 13 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.

The awards, established in 1991, recognize the best in the restaurant industry nationwide. A link to all semifinalists, and the rules, is at jamesbeard.org.

“We are thrilled to see the diverse and extensive representation of talented Colorado restaurants and chefs on the James Beard Foundation’s list of semifinalists for its Restaurant and Chef Awards,” Colorado Restaurant Association President and CEO Sonia Riggs said in a statement. “This prestigious recognition is huge as Colorado continues to establish itself as a national culinary destination.”

“The return of the awards, and 13 of them recognizing Colorado’s incredible restaurant teams, is a great moment to step back and celebrate those who feed us, serve us, bring us so much joy, show us a window into a different culture, and show up for our communities in essential ways through crises,” said Katie Lazor, executive director of EatDenver, in a statement. “And not to mention those who are dedicated to creating better jobs in this industry. Celebrating chefs, restaurant owners, and restaurant workers sure does hit deeper this year.”

The semifinalists include:

• Outstanding Restaurateur: Edwin Zoe, Zoe Ma Ma and Chimera Ramen, Boulder and Denver

• Outstanding Chef: Josh Niernberg, Bin 707 Foodbar, Grand Junction

• Emerging Chef: Manuel “Manny” Barella, Bellota, Denver

• Best New Restaurant: Casian Seafood, Lafayette

• Outstanding Hospitality: Spuntino, Denver

• Outstanding Wine Program: The Little Nell, Aspen

• Best Chef, Mountain division:

• Jose Avila, El Borrego Negro, Denver
• Cody Cheetham, Tavernetta, Denver
• Caroline Glover, Annette, Aurora
• Mawa McQueen, Mawa’s Kitchen, Aspen
• Dana Rodriguez, Work & Class, Denver
• Eric Skokan, Black Cat Farm Table Bistro, Boulder
• Luis Young, Penrose Room, Colorado Springs

“The well-deserved honor and press garnered from these nominations is particularly valuable to Colorado restaurants and chefs in this difficult moment in time,” Riggs said. “Our January 2022 economic impact survey found that 54% of Colorado restaurants are still at risk of closing within the year, and, on average, restaurants are facing $180,000 in pandemic-related debt.”