These Miami Chefs and Bakers Are 2024 James Beard Award Finalists

The James Beard Foundation is narrowing down selections as the awards show rapidly approaches and three local chefs and bakers are still in the running.
By Nicole Lopez-AlvarApril 3, 2024
Portrait of Manuel and Jesus Brazon in their kitchen
Manuel and Jesus Brazon

Photo by Zachary Fagenson
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The James Beard Foundation has announced the finalists for 2024’s Restaurant and Chef Awards, among the most prestigious culinary honors in the nation. This list was narrowed down from a list of semifinalists released in January, and it includes none other than the chef behind Maty’s, which was just named one of the best restaurants in America.

The 2024 selections include three Miami chefs and bakers who have been selected in two categories.

Miami’s 2024 James Beard Foundation Restaurant and Chef Awards finalists are listed below.

Pastries by Jesus and Manuel Brazon of Caracas Bakery

Photo by Nicole Lopez-Alvar

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Editor's Picks

Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker

  • Jesus Brazon and Manuel Brazon of Caracas Bakery in Doral and Miami

Best Chef: South (AL, AR, FL, LA, MS, PR)

  • Valerie Chang of Maty’s in Miami

Related

Winners will be announced at the James Beard Restaurant and Awards ceremony on Monday, June 10, at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.

This story will be updated as more information is released.

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Nicole Lopez-Alvar is the Food and Drink Editor of Miami New Times, a role she has proudly held since December 2023. A born-and-raised Miamian, she covers the city’s ever-evolving dining scene, from buzzy new openings to the local institutions that define South Florida’s food culture. Before joining Miami New Times, Lopez-Alvar worked as a digital journalist at WPLG Local 10 News and WSVN 7 News, where she covered breaking news, restaurants, arts, and culture. She holds a B.S. in communications from the University of Miami, where she studied broadcast journalism. Outside the newsroom, she shares her passion for food on Instagram, documenting her favorite bites across Miami and beyond. Readers might have seen her on the 23rd season of ABC’s The Bachelor and the sixth season of Bachelor in Paradise.

nicole.lopez-alvar@miaminewtimes.com

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