St. John's Daniel Lindley earns James Beard Award nomination
Call it a way to reinforce Chattanooga’s place on the national foodie map, all from a single kitchen.
Daniel Lindley, executive chef and owner of St. John’s Restaurant, was named earlier this week as one of the semifinalists for the James Beard Awards in the category of Best Chef in the Southeast.
“I learned of the nomination shortly after they were announced via a few texts from friends and family,” Lindley said.
This is the Chattanooga native’s fourth nomination for the prestigious award; he previously received the same nod in 2009, 2010 and 2012.
The James Beard Awards, given by the James Beard Foundation in honor of the late cookbook author, chef and educator James Beard, acknowledge leaders in the American food industry inside and outside of the kitchen.
The foundation hands out trophies in Outstanding Wine Program, Restaurant Design, Food Journalism, Best New Restaurant and Outstanding Chef.
St. John’s Restaurant opened in 2000 and has since then been a steward in the Chattanooga food movement, elevating the local standard for taste, wine and the incorporation of farm-to-table ideals.
Lindley expanded the restaurant block on Market Street with The Meeting Place, the more casual little sister of the two establishments, in 2004.
The winners will be announced at a ceremony on Monday, March 18, at Charleston’s Lowndes Grove Plantation and via the foundation’s Twitter feed. Winners will then be invited to a gala ceremony at Lincoln Center in early May.
“Each nomination is a great honor for myself, my amazing staff and the city as a whole,” Lindley said. “We are cautious, though, to press on and be our very best each day—regardless of accolades.”
