Biloxi chef named a James Beard semifinalist, the Oscars of food awards

Chef Austin Sumrall, of White Pillars restaurant in Biloxi, has been nominated by the James Beard Foundation as a semifinalist in the category of Best Chef South.

Every year, the James Beard Foundation recognizes culinary professionals in the United States with six recognition programs and two special achievement awards. Chefs are recognized by region and restaurant.

The awards are considered the Oscars of the food world, and no higher honor is bestowed in the United States.

Chef Sumrall said “Its a huge, huge honor and my head is still reeling, I feel like the kid at the adult table.”

He awoke to an early-morning text from Chef Derek Emerson, of CAET restaurant in Ridgeland, also a semifinalist in this year’s awards. The text said simply “Congratulations.”

“I couldn’t believe it,” Sumrall said, “and I raced to the computer and there it was. All of my heroes are on the James Beard list of winners, and I worked for three different award-winners after culinary school at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park.”

Semifinalists are nominated by other culinary professionals, but winners are chosen by the restaurant and chefs awards committee, consisting of past winners in the restaurant and chef categories.

This years winner’s will be announced on Monday, May 4, at the 2020 James Beard Awards Gala in Chicago.

Chef Austin Said “Not much is going to change, my staff and I will keep pushing ourselves, its a team effort.”

White Pillars is a causal fine-dining restaurant that Sumrall describes as “approachable.” The restaurant emphases locally sourced food and menus that change daily, based on the available of the best ingredients that can be found.

Two other Mississippians are on this year’s list, Austin Evans and Richard Patrick Jr. of Cathead Distillery in Jackson for Oustanding Wine, Spirits or Beer Producer.

Here are other 2020 nominees near the Mississippi Coast, including in New Orleans, Mobile and Orange Beach:

Best New Restaurant

• Gianna, New Orleans

Outstanding Baker

• Graison Gill, Bellegarde Bakery, New Orleans

Outstanding Wine Program

• Bacchanal, New Orleans

Outstanding Chef

• Donald Link, Herbsaint, New Orleans

Outstanding Hospitality

• Brigtsen’s, New Orleans

Outstanding Restaurateur

• JoAnn Clevenger, Upperline Restaurant, New Orleans

Rising Star Chef of the Year

• Ana Castro, Thalia, New Orleans

Best Chef: South

• Blake Aguillard and William “Trey” Smith, Saint-Germain, New Orleans
• Bill Briand, Fisher’s Upstairs at Orange Beach Marina, Orange Beach, AL
• Kristen Essig and Michael Stoltzfus, Coquette, New Orleans
• Hao Gong, LUVI Restaurant, New Orleans
• Michael Gulotta, Maypop, New Orleans
• Mason Hereford, Turkey and the Wolf, New Orleans
• Duane Nutter, Southern National, Mobile, AL
• Austin Sumrall, White Pillars, Biloxi, MS
• Isaac Toups, Toups’ Meatery, New Orleans

Find the full list of winners at jamesbeard.org