Hawaii chefs, Honolulu bar named James Beard semifinalists

Honolulu’s Senia restaurant scored two spots Wednesday on the list of semifinalists for the prestigious James Beard Foundation culinary awards.

Chef/owners Chris Kajioka and Anthony Rush were named jointly to the regional category of best chef in the Northwest and Pacific, while Senia’s Mimi Mendoza was named in the national category of outstanding pastry chef.

Kajioka said he and Rush are proud to represent Hawaii. “In my opinion the food scene has never been better,” he said.

Joining Kajioka and Rush in the chef group are Keiji Nakazawa of Sushi Sho in Waikiki and Maui chef Sheldon Simeon. The Northwest/Pacific category includes 20 other semifinalists from Hawaii, Alaska, Washington state and Oregon.

Honolulu’s Bar Leather Apron was named a semifinalist for outstanding bar program, another nationwide category.

Tom Park, co-owner of the bar, said he was honored by the news, and that the work of all the local semifinalists reflects that they are “continuing to strive for greatness and putting Hawaii on the map.”

The semifinalists will be pared down to the final nominees for the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards on March 25. Winners will be announced at a gala May 4 in Chicago.

It has been more than a decade since anyone from Hawaii has moved from the semifinalist list on to the finalists. George Mavrothalassitis of Chef Mavro was the last to claim an actual prize, as regional best chef in 2003.

Chances could be better this year, as the award’s geographical categories have been realigned, putting Hawaii in the Northwest and Pacific group. Since 2007 Hawaii had been competing in a region that included all of California.

The new region is more as it was in years when Hawaii chefs Roy Yama­guchi, Alan Wong and Mavrothalassitis won top chef awards.

“Regardless,” Kajioka said, “Hawaii has so much talent. Being so far away is always a disadvantage for us, but all we can do is to continue to push the cuisine forward, work hard, people will notice and maybe one day we can bring home another medal.”

Semifinalists

For a full list of semifinalists go to jamesbeard.org

Staff writer Jason Genegabus contributed to this report.