Chefs at MS Coast fine dining restaurant are finalists for James Beard Award
South Mississippi chefs Alex Perry and Kumi Omori of Vestige in Ocean Springs are among the five finalists for a regional award by the James Beard Foundation.
The chefs made the 2023 James Beard Award semifinalists list for top chefs in the South region.
They were announced Wednesday as finalists for the South and the winners will be announced June 5.
The finalists include:
- Ana Castro, Lengua Madre, New Orleans, LA
- Timothy Hontzas, Johnny’s Restaurant, Homewood, AL
- Henry Moso, Kabooki Sushi, Orlando, FL
- Alex Perry and Kumi Omori, Vestige, Ocean Springs, MS
- Natalia Vallejo, Cocina al Fondo, San Juan, PR
Perry, the restaurant owner and executive chef, is now a three-time nominee for the award after being named a semifinalist both last year and in 2019.
The Best Chef: South category includes chefs from Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, Florida, Arkansas and Puerto Rico.
Vestige is an upscale Modern American restaurant that serves farm-to-table and seasonal dishes. It opened in 2013 next to the previous Lovelace Drugstore on Washington Avenue.
Vestige is open for in-person dining with limited seating, and reservations are strongly recommended. To reserve a table, call 228-818-9699.
This story was originally published January 25, 2023 at 12:37 PM.
