This story has been updated with additonal information.
ASHEVILLE – The 2025 James Beard Foundation Award season has kicked off with the announcement of the semifinalists considered to win Restaurant and Chef Awards.
On Jan. 22, the prestigious national awards program ― dubbed the Oscars of the food world ― released its list of the best of the best restaurant industry professionals and establishments with several Asheville and Western North Carolina honorees in the running for the coveted medals.
The Asheville semifinalists are William Dissen, The Market Place, in the category of Outstanding Chef.
Chef William Dissen, owner of The Market Place, released his cookbook titled, “Thoughtful Cooking: Recipes Rooted in the New South.”
“A James Beard Award signifies those showing excellence and the best of their profession in our food and beverage industry,” Dissen said. “For our town of Asheville to have multiple nominees shows how strong the food community we have and also shows how strong a community we have that supports local and one another.”
Two local chefs are in consideration for Best Chef: Southeast ― Silver Iocovozzi of Neng Jr.’s and Ashleigh Shanti of Good Hot Fish.
Leo’s House of Thirst for Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program.
Western North Carolina’s April Franqueza, of The Dining Room at High Hampton in Cashiers, was named for Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker.
Franqueza, a first-time semifinalist, said she’s thankful and honored to be on the national list. She attributed locally sourced ingredients, her culinary travels and growing up in a family who loved old-fashioned baking to what makes her baked goods stand out.
“What do I want to eat when I go out for dessert?” said Franqueza, a Sapphire native who competed on Food Network’s “Spring Baking Championship” Season 9 in 2023. “Everything’s made in-house. Everything’s made by my team and myself. … There’s nothing coming out of High Hampton that we’re not making, and it fills me with immense pride to have this beautiful product in Cashiers, North Carolina ― kind of in the middle of nowhere ― and have it recognized.”
April Franqueza, of The Dining Room at High Hampton in Cashiers, was named a 2025 James Beard Foundation Award for Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker.
Drew Wallace, co-owner of Leo’s House of Thirst, said the diverse wine program has evolved since opening in 2020 and includes locally sourced, consciously made wines at different price points that can be appreciated by connoisseurs and neighbors.
“All attention for our community right now is a win,” Wallace said. “Leo’s is a little 800 square foot dining room on Haywood Road. For us to get some love from a big foundation respected like James Beard for doing what we’ve been doing day in and day out for our neighborhood ― it’s not something we go searching for but when they happen they feel really good.”
Past James Beard Award recognitions
WNC’s food and beverage community continues to turn heads and rack up award nods from the James Beard Foundation.
In 2020, Shanti was a Rising Star Chef of the Year semifinalist. Now the “Top Chef” alum and author of “Our South: Black Food Through My Lens” is considered for Best Chef: Southeast.
In 2022, Asheville earned its first JBFA wins when Chai Pani, an Indian street food restaurant, won for Outstanding Restaurant, and Cúrate, a Spanish tapas bar, won for Outstanding Hospitality.
In 2023, Neng Jr.’s made it to the finals as a nominee for Best New Restaurant. This year, Iocovozzi, the chef-owner, is in the running for Best Chef: Southeast at the restaurant, which opened in 2022.
Ashleigh Shanti is the Asheville-based chef of Good Hot Fish
In 2024, four regional restaurants and chefs made it to the semifinals.
Jason Sellers, chef and owner of Plant, and Kanlaya “Gun” Supachana, chef and owner of Dalaya Thai Cuisine in Sylva were vying for Best Chef: Southeast.
The Market Place and The Restaurant at Gideon Ridge Inn in Blowing Rock were considered for Outstanding Restaurant.
A shining moment post-Tropical Storm Helene
This is Dissen’s 16th year as the chef-owner of the downtown restaurant, The Market Place, which has been operational for 46 years. He said the recognition was an honor that he won’t take lightly.
Although he’s contending for Outstanding Chef, Dissen praised the restaurant’s past and present staff for consistently striving toward excellence, especially those who’ve endured Tropical Storm Helene.
Helene hit Western North Carolina on Sept. 27 leaving a path of devastation that has caused many restaurants to close, reduce staff and limit hours, menus and services.
Leo’s House of Thirst is a James Beard Foundation Award semifinalist for Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program.
“Our team continues to push to source local and to strive for excellence every day,” said Dissen, a U.S. culinary and culture diplomat with the Arts Envoy Program, and the author of “Thoughtful Cooking: Recipes Rooted in the New South” cookbook. “It makes me a little emotional to have great people that I like to work with every day. We’re really blessed.”
Wallace, who also owns The Admiral, The Bull and Beggar and Baby Bull restaurants, said the honor will drive Leo’s House of Thirst team even harder and provide more opportunities for the restaurant-wine bar and the city.
“It’s an honor to be noticed by the James Beard Foundation, and the attention that draws,” he said. “Whatever shines a light on us right now shines a light on everybody. We look forward to more folks coming back and help us make it through this.”
James Beard Foundation Awards calendar
JBFA’s Restaurant and Chef Awards nominees and Achievement Awards honorees (Impact Awards, Lifetime Achievement and Humanitarian of the Yea) will be announced on April 2.
The Restaurant and Chef Awards ceremony will be hosted live in Chicago on June 16.
America’s Classics winner announcement will be on Feb. 26.
The Media Awards nominees will be announced on May 7 and the awards will be presented live in a ceremony on June 14 in Chicago.
View the full list of JBFA semifinalists at jamesbeard.org and follow @beardfoundation on Instagram.
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Tiana Kennell is the food and dining reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Tips, comments, questions? Email [email protected] or follow @PrincessOfPage on Instagram/Bluesky.
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Asheville chefs, restaurants make 2025 James Beard Awards semifinalists
