Jan 22, 2025 - Food and Drink

Here are San Diego's James Beard semifinalists for 2025

Kate Murphy

Two chefs stand in their restaurants. — Chefs Tara Monsod and Roberto Alcocer are 2025 James Beard Award semifinalists. Photos: James Tran (left), Jordan Younis (right)

Two San Diego chefs and a new cocktail bar were named semifinalists for the 2025 James Beard Awards announced Wednesday.

Why it matters: The coveted awards are among the highest honors in the hospitality industry, and San Diego's restaurant scene has yet to claim a winner.

Driving the news: Tara Monsod, executive chef at Animae and Le Coq, and Roberto Alcocer, executive chef at Valle, secured semifinalist spots in the Best Chef - California category.

Roma Norte, a sleek, Mexico City-inspired cocktail bar downtown, is a semifinalist for Best New Bar.

Flashback: Last year, Monsod was San Diego's first-ever James Beard finalist in the same category.

Zoom in: Monsod brings Filipino flavors to the kitchens at Animae — an upscale wagyu steakhouse and Asian-fusion restaurant downtown — and Le Coq, a new French steakhouse in La Jolla.

Alcocer helped Valle, a Mexican fine-dining restaurant in Oceanside, earn a Michelin Star.

What's new: The 35th anniversary of the Chef and Restaurant Awards marks an expansion into three new categories focused on beverages: Best New Bar, Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service, and Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service.

What's next: Finalists will be announced April 12, and winners will be celebrated at a Chicago ceremony on June 16.

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Here are San Diego's James Beard semifinalists for 2025

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