Three Minnesotans are among the five nominees for best Midwestern chef in this year's James Beard Awards, and the state is in competition in several other categories as well.

The James Beard Foundation announced its award nominees — culled from an earlier list of semifinalists — on Wednesday.

The highlight for locals is the Best Chef: Midwest category, where three Twin Cities cooks made the cut:

• Shigeyuki Furukawa, Kado no Mise, Minneapolis
• Diane Moua, Diane's Place, Minneapolis
• Loryn Nalic, Balkan Treat Box, Webster Groves, Missouri
• Karyn Tomlinson, Myriel, St. Paul, Minnesota
• David Utterback, Ota and Yoshitomo, Omaha, Nebraska

Minneapolis' Bar Brava is up for the Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program honor, while Bûcheron — also in Minneapolis — will vie for Best New Restaurant.

In addition, Rep. Angie Craig is being honored with an Impact Award, a new feature of the foundation that recognizes "changemakers actively working to push for standards that create a more equitable, sustainable, and economically viable restaurant industry and food system for producers, workers, and consumers alike."

The foundation is giving Craig a nod for leading efforts to pass the Lower Food and Fuel Costs Act, which it said "tapped the power of family farmers to lower costs for Americans."

"It is an honor to be named as a 2025 James Beard Impact Awards Honoree," Craig said in a statement. "From the farmers who grow the food to the chefs who bring their products to life, it takes a village to feed the world. As the granddaughter of a farm foreman and now the top Democrat on the House Agriculture Committee, I am committed to supporting the farmers, producers and small business owners who power the food economy and will continue working to ensure that every American can put food on the table."     

The James Beard Awards are considered the restaurant industry's most prestigious honors. Winners will be announced at a ceremony in Chicago on June 16.