KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A Kansas City-area chef and two bakers have been nominated as semifinalists for James Beard awards.
Chef and owner of Story in Prairie Village, Carl Thorne-Thomsen, has been nominated for best chef in the Midwest region, which includes Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin.
According to the restaurants website, Thorne-Thomsen was a James Beard semifinalist nominee for this category in 2013 as well. He has also previously won two Food & Wine Magazine awards, one in 2013 for best new chef in the Midwest and one in 2014 for best new chef: national.
Marissa and Mark Gencarelli, owners of Yoli Tortilleria in the East Bottoms of Kansas City, have been nominated for outstanding baker.
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"The James Beard Awards, considered to be among the nation’s most prestigious honors, recognize exceptional talent in the culinary and food media industries, as well as a demonstrated commitment to racial and gender equity, community, sustainability, and a culture where all can thrive," a release from the James Beard Foundation said.
The winners will be announced at the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards ceremony on Monday, June 13 at the Lyric of Opera of Chicago.
