By Michael Ventura
DNAinfo Senior Editor
MANHATTAN — The James Beard Awards will skip Manhattan this year — at least for the most Outstanding Chef in the nation.
A year after "Top Chef" host and Craft owner Tom Colicchio won the award, no New York cooks were among the semifinalists for the prestigious culinary award revealed this week.
In 2010 Colicchio beat out Jose Andres, of Washington, D.C., Suzanne Goin, of Los Angeles, and Charles Phan and Gary Danko, both of San Francisco. The also-rans were back in the hunt this year.
Manhattan eateries did figure prominently in other categories, however.
Jean-Georges Vongerichten's ABC Kitchen in Gramercy was up for a Best New Restaurant, as were Recette in the West Village, and Torrisi Italian Specialties in Little Italy.
Blue Hill in Greenwich Village and Eleven Madison Park in the Flatiron District were semifinalists for Best Restaurant.
Eleven Madison Park's Angela Pinkerton was nominated for Best Pastry Chef, as was Shauna Lydon of Peels, on the Bowery in the East Village.
A full listing of the semifinalists can be found on the James Beard Foundation's website.
Finalists will be revealed on March 21, and the winners will be named on May 9 in Manhattan.
