Margarita Madness At The Purple People Bridge : May 17th

Cincinnati Chef Jose Salazar Named Nominee for Prestigious James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards

"Although my name’s attached to the nomination, it’s really (my whole team) who are the backbone and I just want to make sure that they’re acknowledged."

Apr 3, 2024 at 12:23 pm

Jose Salazar, proprietor of Mita's, Goose & Elder, Salazar Restaurant and other Cincinnati dining establishments. Photo: Gina Weathersby

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A Cincinnati chef has been announced as a nominee for the prestigious 2024 James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards.

The Restaurant and Chef Awards is one of five recognition programs from the James Beard Foundation and one of the most prestigious culinary honors, celebrating excellence in everything from fine dining to casual eateries and emerging talents to established luminaries. The James Beard Foundation announced the nominees at a live ceremony in Washington, D.C. Wednesday morning.

Chef Jose Salazar (Mita’s, Goose & Elder, Safi) is up for nomination in the category of Best Chef in the Great Lakes region (IL, IN, MI, OH). Chefs in this category “set high standards in their culinary skills and leadership abilities” and are “making efforts to help create a sustainable work culture in their respective regions while contributing positively to their broader community.”

“It’s of course an honor and wonderful to be recognized, but ultimately the recognition should be for the whole team. Although my name’s attached to the nomination, it’s really them who are the backbone and I just want to make sure that they’re acknowledged. And without them, there would be no restaurant to be nominated,” Salazar told CityBeat in January following the announcement of the awards’ semifinalists.

Former Salazar Restaurant to Transform into Moroccan-Inspired Wine Bar: Safi will feature a menu of approachable Moroccan-inspired dishes and a wine list featuring bottles from across the Mediterranean region.

Chefs Erik Bentz and Elaine Uykimpang Bentz (Cafe Mochiko) and Jeffrey Harris (Nolia) were also named as semifinalists in the Restaurant and Chef Awards but did not move on to the nominee round.

Also nominated in Salazar’s category are Vinnie Cimino (Cordelia in Cleveland); Sujan Sarkar, (Indienne in Chicago); Hajime Sato (Sozai in Clawson, Mich.); and Jenner Tomaska (Esmé in Chicago).

Winners of the Restaurant and Chef Awards will be celebrated at a ceremony on Monday, June 10 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.

Slideshow

Here are the Top 12 Restaurants Cincinnati Chef Jose Salazar Recommends

Jose Salazar, proprietor of Mita's, Goose & Elder and the upcoming Moroccan-inspired wine bar Safi.

Bouquet519 Main St., CovingtonAt this Covington eatery, elegant small plates, entrées and thoughtful wine pairings set the stage for an intimate dining experience. Working closely with local sources, Bouquet’s upscale farm-to-table approach means a fresh, frequently rotating menu packed with seasonal ingredients, which is exactly what Salazar loves about it. He says it’s “sometimes forgotten because that’s what happens when you do something so consistently good for so long. May just be time to revisit them.”

Saint Francis Apizza3392 Erie Ave., Hyde ParkSalazar says, as a New Yorker, he’s got strong opinions about pizza, and Alex Plattner at Saint Francis Apizza and his team get it right and are always working to improve. The popular pizzeria offers a variety of house pies, like the Cincy Supreme and the Fancy White, or you can build your own. And if you want to pack your freezer with Saint Francis' frozen pies to toss in the oven whenever you get the craving, Salazar swears they taste exactly the same as fresh from the pizzeria.

Mazunte5207 Madison Road, Madisonville; 611 Main St., DowntownMazunte has been long-hailed as a "hidden gem," offering a mix of casual order-at-the-counter dining with authentic, high-quality Mexican cuisine. Salazar says the tacos are good, but don’t sleep on the memalitas (thin masa cakes that have been grilled and can be topped with chicken, chorizo, pork or vegetables) or the pozole (a traditional Mexican soup). It’s also cheap with an authentic Mexico feel, all the way down to the cinder blocks and milk crates for furniture, he adds.

The Arepa Place (Wyoming)1517 Springfield Pike, WyomingArepa Place’s Wyoming location may not be on a lot of people’s radar, says Salazar. Owner Isis Arrieta-Dennis brought the Findlay Market favorite’s menu of fast-casual South American eats to the neighborhood in 2022. The restaurant serves up authentic Colombian eats inspired by her home country, with stuffed arepas — a pocket-like food made from a corn dough and filling — being the main star of the menu. “Colombian food is not very well known in our city,” says Salazar. “If you want to taste the real thing (and you should), go see them.”

Longfellow1233 Clay St., Over-the-RhineLongfellow is a stylish, lowkey cocktail bar that has a menu of beers, wines, expertly crafted cocktails and Old-World-inspired food. Salazar says the drinks are fabulous and the small plates crave-able. “Mike Stankovich and crew will make you feel like an old friend even if it’s your first time,” he told CityBeat.

Oriental Wok317 Buttermilk Pike, Lakeside Park; 2444 Madison Road, Hyde ParkTranscending the typical Chinese American menu since 1977, Oriental Wok and the Wong family offer upscale, innovative, fresh and delicious chef-prepared cuisine that’s never boring. Salazar likes that it’s been family-run for three generations and always has some cool off-menu items (be sure to ask). He says Oriental Wok also has the best service.

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About The Author

Katherine Barrier

Katherine Barrier is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati’s journalism program and has nearly 10 years of experience reporting local and national news as a digital journalist. At CityBeat, she oversees the digital and social media strategies, edits web and print content and writes for the dining and arts...