These are the Boston-area James Beard nominees

Driving the news: Douglass Williams, chef at MIDA Boston, was nominated for outstanding restaurateur.

• He won the 2023 James Beard award for best chef in the northeast.
• Now he's competing against 19 other chefs across the country.
• Cassie Piuma, chef at Sarma and a 2022 nominee for best chef in the northeast, is now in the running for outstanding chef alongside 19 other chefs.

Seven of the 20 nominees for best chef in the Northeast hail from Greater Boston:

• John DaSilva from Chickadee in Boston
• Conor Dennehy from Tallula in Cambridge
• Valentine Howell from Black Cat in Jamaica Plain
• Kwasi Kwaa from Comfort Kitchen in Dorchester (Comfort Kitchen was nominated last year)
• Erin Miller from Urban Hearth in Cambridge
• Michael Serpa from Select Oyster in Boston
• Rachel Miller from Nightshade Noodle Bar in Lynn.

Here are the other Massachusetts contenders.

Best new restaurant (30 nominees)

• Somaek in Boston
• LUNE in Dennis Port

Best new bar (20 nominees)

• Merai in Brookline

Outstanding professional in beverage service (20 nominees)

• Alyssa Mikiko DiPasquale from The Koji Club in Brighton