The annual announcement of James Beard Award Semifinalists inspires new food adventures and a renewed appreciation for the culinary arts.
This year, three Midwesterners are among the 20 “Emerging Chef” contenders. If selected, they would be one of four Midwesterners to receive this early career recognition since the category’s inception in 2000.
For the last three decades, the foundation has recognized “exceptional talent in the culinary and food media industries,” according to their press release. Winners will be announced at the James Beard Foundation ceremony in June; this year’s celebration marks the 35th anniversary of the James Beard Awards.
Meet the Midwestern semifinalists in the 2025 Emerging Chef category.
Marcela Salas, BibiSol
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
The mother-daughter duo of Patricia Burbine and Marcela Salas started Salas Salsas as a small farmers market pop-up in 2020. They then expanded their tamale and salsa business to local grocery stores before opening a seasonal food truck in 2022 that quickly built a regular following.
Then, in July 2024, Salas, along with her fiancé Chris Nelson and her mother, opened BibiSol—the only Mexican restaurant on the main stretch of downtown Sioux Falls.
According to their website: “Sacred foods and traditional practices like nixtamalization are at the heart of our dishes, which are crafted with locally sourced ingredients and sustainable methods.”
From nixtamal blue corn sope served with locally sourced proteins and greens, to potato and cheese tacquitos, BibiSol is said to be pushing the food culture in this growing Midwestern city.
Jake Potashnick, Feld
Chicago, Illinois
Jake Potashnick traveled the world to learn from the best chefs and work at some of the top restaurants, all before he was 30. While opening his first restaurant, he amassed a following on TikTok (as @notyetachef) for sharing his candid insights and love for food.
In June 2024, he welcomed foodies to Feld, a fine dining restaurant in Chicago’s Ukrainian Village. With an evolving tasting menu, Feld is “a relationship-to-table restaurant” highlighting produce sourced from their “network of growers, ranchers, fishermen, and dairy farmers.”
According to their website, “Feld is a demonstration in true seasonality, where the menu for each evening is created that morning in response to the produce available on that day.” Meals are “prepared and plated directly in front of the guest, in the center of our dining room.”
Jordan Anthony-Brown, The Aperture
Cincinnati, Ohio
After spending years at prominent restaurants in Washington D.C., Cincinnati native Jordan Anthony-Brown moved back in 2018 to open The Aperture.
As he navigated the pandemic, the chef had hosted several pop-ups since 2020. In an interview with a local magazine, Anthony-Brown said that this process helped him find what would bring happiness [to his guests] and creativity [to his team].
The Aperture in Walnut Hills finally opened in early 2024—and was soon featured in the New York Times’s annual Restaurant List of their 50 favorites that same year.
The menu is inspired by cuisine from both the Mediterranean and the American South, with a focus on balance—a nod to “aperture” in photography. From hummus to sweet potato, to duck breast, and porchetta, you can travel the world and back at this restaurant.