Rob Connoley of Bulrush is a James Beard Award finalist for 'Best Chef: Midwest'
The St. Louis chef behind Ozarks-inspired dishes is in the running for one of the most prestigious culinary honors. Rob Connoley of Bulrush, St. Louis, has been named a finalist for the 2024 James Beard Awards for "Best Chef: Midwest" in St.Louis. This is the first James Beard Award nomination for him and is the second time a chef has been nominated for the award. Other finalists include Ann Ahmed of Khâluna in Minneapolis, Dan Jacobs and Dan Van Rite of EsterEv in Milwaukee, Christina Nguyen of Hai Hai in Minneapolis and Tim Nicholson of the Boiler Room in Omaha. The winners will be announced at a gala in Chicago on June 10.
Published : 2 months ago by ian froeb, Ian Froeb in Lifestyle
ST. LOUIS — Rob Connoley of Bulrush is a finalist for “Best Chef: Midwest” in the 2024 James Beard Awards, one of the country’s most prestigious culinary honors.
The James Beard Foundation announced the nominees for this year’s awards Wednesday. The winners will be named June 10 at a gala in Chicago.
This is the first James Beard Award nomination for Connoley, who opened Bulrush in 2019 in Grand Center. The tasting-menu restaurant features dishes inspired by the historical cuisine of the Ozarks.
The other finalists in for this year’s “Best New Chef: Midwest” award are Ann Ahmed of Khâluna in Minneapolis, Dan Jacobs and Dan Van Rite of EsterEv in Milwaukee, Christina Nguyen of Hai Hai in Minneapolis and Tim Nicholson of the Boiler Room in Omaha.
Two St. Louis chefs have previously won the “Best Chef: Midwest” award: Gerard Craft of Niche in 2015 and Kevin Nashan of Sidney Street Café in 2017.
Connoley is the first St. Louis chef to be nominated for a James Beard Award since Michael Gallina of Vicia in 2019.
Connoley was one of several St. Louis chefs and restaurants named as James Beard Award semifinalists in January.
Other semifinalists included Loryn Nalic of Balkan Treat Box and Philip Day of Root Food + Wine for “Best Chef: Midwest” and Mainlander and Sado for “Best New Restaurant.”
La Patisserie Chouquette was a semifinalist for “Outstanding Bakery” and Take Root Hospitality (Vicia, Winslow’s Table, Bistro La Floraison and Taqueria Morita) was a semifinalist for “Outstanding Restaurateur.”
Topics: Food & Drink