Raleigh chefs and restaurants today scored four semifinalist nominations for the annual James Beard Awards.

Cheeni Indian Food Emporium owner Preeti Waas is a Best Chef Southeast semifinalist for the second year in a row. Waas, who recently launched a second Cheeni location in Durham, told the INDY that the nomination “feels just as surreal as the first time.”

“It is validation that food that makes people feel good, served with love and intention, is being recognized,” Waas wrote in a text.

Scott Crawford’s flagship restaurant Crawford & Son received a semifinalist nomination for the Outstanding Hospitality award. Crawford said the acknowledgement is energizing as he prepares to add four new concepts to his restaurant group this year.

“While my name is on the door, this recognition is really a tribute to our exceedingly talented team,” Crawford wrote in an email. “They are true hospitality professionals, who I’m honored to work with every day.”

The dessert and cocktail lounge Bittersweet is a first-time semifinalist for Outstanding Bar. Bittersweet has been open for ten years, just as Durham’s Alley Twenty-Six was when the bar received its first James Beard acknowledgment in 2022.

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Last but not least, the Mediterranean restaurant Ajja is a semifinalist in the Best New Restaurant category. Ajja owner Cheetie Kumar, who formerly helmed Garland, has received five semifinalist nominations for Best Chef Southeast in previous years and made it to the final round twice. In 2022, Triangle chef Ricky Moore, owner of Saltbox Seafood Joint, won the title instead. 

Chefs and restaurants in North Carolina received a total of twelve semifinalist nominations this year. The James Beard Foundation will select finalists in April and announce winners in June.

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Lena Geller is a reporter for INDY, covering food, housing, and politics. She joined the staff in 2018 and previously ran a custom cake business.