The James Beard Foundation Award has served up honors for two excellent Connecticut chefs and restaurants.

Cora Cora  in West Hartford, a Peruvian hotspot, has garnered semifinalist nods in both the national "Outstanding Restaurant" bracket and in the Northeast's "Best Chef" category, for the work of Hector Ludena.  Criteria for an "Outstanding Restaurant" include "consistent excellence in food, atmosphere, hospitality, and operations while contributing positively to its broader community."

Brian Lewis, whose New American cuisine is found at The Cottage in Westport, also grabbed a semifinalist "Best Chef" nod in the Northeast division.

Winners will be celebrated at the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards ceremony on Monday, June 13, 2022, at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Restaurant and Chef Awards nominees, in addition to honorees for Leadership, Lifetime Achievement Award, and Humanitarian of the Year Awards will be revealed on Wednesday, March 16, 2022, in Scottsdale, AZ. Nominees for the James Beard Foundation Media Awards will be released on Wednesday, April 27, 2022, in New York City.