Is this the year Kevin Binkley finally wins a prestigious James Beard Award?
The namesake chef of Binkley’s in Cave Creek, Bink’s Midtown in Phoenix and Cafe Bink in Carefree is one of five finalists announced this morning for Best Chef Southwest in the culinary world’s equivalent of the Academy Awards.
Making things look especially promising this year for Binkley, a three-time finalist, is the other four finalists all are from Texas – three from Houston and one from Austin – which means, presumably, they will split the Texas votes.
Two other Valley chefs had made a list of 20 semifinalists announced last month: Silvana Salcido Esparza of Barrio Café in Phoenix and Charleen Badman of FnB in Scottsdale.  The winner 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.
Three other Valley semifinalists in other categories failed to make the finals:  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 finalists here.
