CLEVELAND — Two months after being named a semifinalist, Cleveland chef Brandon Chrostowski is one step closer to winning a prestigious James Beard Award.
On Wednesday, the EDWINS Leadership & Restaurant founder was named a finalist for a James Beard Award in the category of Outstanding Restaurateur. After being named one of 20 semifinalists for the award, Chrostowski is now one of one of five finalists for the honor -- and the only one from Ohio.
This marked the second consecutive year that Chrostowski, who in addition to EDWINS Leadership & Restaurant is responsible for edwins too, EDWINS Bakery, and others, was a semifinalist in the Outstanding Restauranter category, which recognizes "a restaurateur who uses their establishment(s) as a vehicle for building community, demonstrates creativity in entrepreneurship, integrity in restaurant operations, and is making efforts to create a sustainable work culture." Last year, Chrostowski didn't advance past the semifinalist phase, with the award ultimately going to Chris Bianco of Phoenix, Arizona.
The other four finalists for Outstanding Restauranter this year include:
- Greg Dulan, Dulan’s Soul Food Kitchen, Dulans’ on Crenshaw, and Dulanville, Los Angeles, CA
- Aaron Hoskins, Sarah Simmons, and Elie Yigo, CITY GRIT Hospitality Group, Columbia, SC
- Venvy and Quynh Pham, Phở Bắc Sup Shop, Pacific Standard Time, The Boat, Seattle, WA
- Ellen Yin, High Street Hospitality Group, Philadelphia, PA
As for what's next, the winners of this year's awards will be announced on June 5.
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