Los Angeles chefs once again snubbed at the James Beard Awards

After eight award nominations, Providence chef Michael Cimarusti has once again been snubbed by the James Beard Foundation.

Cimarusti was one of a handful of talented Los Angeles chefs who were left empty handed after Monday night’s awards ceremony, held at the Lyric Opera in Chicago. At this rate, Cimarusti — who is also behind West Hollywood seafood restaurant Connie and Ted’s, Cape Seafood and Provisions seafood shop, Best Girl at downtown L.A.’s Ace Hotel and il Pesce Cucina at Eataly — is becoming the Peter O’Toole of the Beard Awards.

The James Beard Award nominees and winners are chosen each year by a group of culinary professionals and media from around the country.

Cimarusti, along with Sqirl’s Jessica Koslow, Gjelina’s Travis Lett, Rustic Canyon’s Jeremy Fox and Atelier Crenn’s Dominique Crenn were all up for the Best Chef West award. The medal went to Crenn.

Last year, the foundation named Cimarusti, Fox, Ludo Lefebvre (Trois Mec, Petit Trois, Trois Familia) and Lett as finalists; the award went to Corey Lee of Benu in San Francisco.

Cimarusti, along with the other Los Angeles finalists, has been instrumental in elevating the city’s dining scene, producing some of the most delicious, innovative and thoughtful food in the country.

There were a couple of bright spots for Los Angeles. Caroline Styne of Suzanne Goin’s Lucques Group (A.O.C., Lucques, Tavern) took home the award for outstanding restaurateur. And José Andrés, who has multiple restaurants at the SLS hotel in Beverly Hills, was named humanitarian of the year for his efforts in Puerto Rico, California and beyond.

Other Los Angeles chefs who were in the running included Miles Thompson, a finalist for the Rising Star Chef of the Year award; Evan Funke’s Felix Trattoria in Venice and Sarah Hymanson and Sara Kramer’s Kismet in Los Feliz, both finalists for the Best New Restaurant award; and République’s Margarita Manzke, who was a finalist for the Outstanding Pastry Chef award.

In the media awards, which were announced in New York City in April, Times restaurant critic Jonathan Gold was awarded the Craig Claiborne Distinguished Restaurant Review Award.

For a full list of winners, visit www.jamesbeard.org.

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