Bay Area eateries and chefs named James Beard semifinalists

Plus: The James Beard awards have been diversifying for a few years, starting with the judge lineup and adding a focused investment fund for businesses that are majority-owned by Black or Indigenous people.

Of note: Berkeley's Cafe Ohlone creators Vincent Medina and Louis Trevino are semifinalists for best emerging chefs. They call the restaurant "a love song" to their Ohlone culture.

Details: Here's the rest of our local list, plus 10 more best chef nominees:

• Outstanding restaurateur: Yuka Ioroi and Kris Toliao, Cassava, San Francisco
• Outstanding chef: David Nayfeld, Che Fico, San Francisco
• Outstanding restaurant: Mourad, San Francisco
• Best new restaurant: Birch & Rye, San Francisco
• Outstanding bakery: Yasukochi's Sweet Stop, San Francisco
• Outstanding pastry chef or baker: Vince Bugtong, Viridian, Oakland

What's next: Winners are announced in June.

Flashback: Beard was born 120 years ago just up the road in Portland, Ore., where he reportedly watched Triscuits being made at the 1905 World's Fair!