Chef-owner of the Greenhouse Tavern in downtown Cleveland Jonathon Sawyer has been nominated for the James Beard Awards this year–the only local chef to be nominated.
He is now one of 20 semifinalists in the Best Chef: Great Lakes category in this year’s competition.
Although no other Cleveland chefs will be competing in the semifinals, Sawyer will go up against other Ohioans including Richard Blonding of Refectory Restaurant & Bistro in Columbus, Jean-Robert de Cavel of Jean-Robert’s Table in Cincinnati, Anne Kearney of Rue Dumaine in Dayton and Kent Rigsby of Rigsby’s Kitchen in Columbus.
The five of them compete against chefs from Illinois, Indiana and Michigan.
Sawyer has already achieved acclaim for his culinary talents; he previously won Food & Wine magazine’s prestigious Best New Chef award and competed on the Food Network’s Iron Chef America. His restaurant the Greenhouse Tavern was named one of the Top Ten Restaurants in America by Bon Appétit magazine. It is located at 2038 E 4th Street in Cleveland.
Finalists for the James Beard Awards will be announced on Monday, March 19, at the Venetian and the Palazzo Las Vegas. The James Beard Awards Ceremony and Gala will take place on Monday, May 7 in New York City.
