Will the third time be the charm for Kevin Binkley?
The chef/owner (pictured on top) of Binkley’s in Cave Creek is one of three Valley chefs among 20 semifinalists for Best Chef Southwest at the James Beard Awards, the culinary world’s equivalent of the Oscars.
Binkley, a multiple semifinalist who made to the finals the past two years, is joined by Silvana Salcido Esparza (middle) of Barrio Café in Phoenix and Charleen Badman (bottom) of FnB in Scottsdale. Salcido also is a three-time semifinalist; Badman is a first-timer.
Semifinalists in other categories include Pizzeria Bianco in Phoenix for Outstanding Restaurant, Virtù in Scottsdale for Best New Restaurant, and Sam Fox of Scottsdale-based Fox Restaurant Concepts for Outstanding Restaurateur.
See the full list of semifinalists here.
The 20 semifinalists in each category will be whittled to five finalists on March 19, and winners will be announced May 5.
The Valley has had nine chefs win Best South Southwest, more than any other state, but none since Nobuo Fukuda in 2007.
