We sent a survey to every chef who received a 2011 James Beard Award nomination. It was your standard "20 Questions" kind of thing, addressing kitchen screw-ups, post-shift tipples, and fave albums to cook to, among other topics. We also asked the chefs to send in self portraits. This was a crazy request, but many of them pulled through, handing in works that ranged from classic iPhone pics to ink-to-paper art. In the run-up to the Beard awards ceremony on Monday, we'll present the chefs' most interesting answers here, category by category.
So far, we've posted the Great Lakes chefs, the Northeast chefs, the Southeast chefs, the Midwest chefs, the South chefs, the Southwest chefs, the Northwest chefs, the Rising Stars nominees, and we shared the Foodist's predicted winner for each category. Now we give you best chef nominees from the Mid-Atlantic region. Let us know who you think deserves to win in the comments section.
The Foodist Predicts: Cathal Armstrong of Restaurant Eve, Alexandria, VA
Last year's winner: Jeff Michaud of Osteria, Philadelphia
The nominees:
If you could eat at any restaurant in the world tonight, where would it be?
A little dive on the beach near San Vincenzo, Italy
What's the biggest mistake you've ever made in a professional kitchen?
Argued with the chef
What's the one "foodie" ingredient that you don't really like?
Okra
What would you want to be your last meal?
Steak frites
Best album to cook to?
Silence of the Lambs Soundtrack
If you could eat at any restaurant in the world tonight, where would it be?
I'd be on a beach somewhere, with a table in the sand and my feet in the water.
If you were on Iron Chef would what you hate the secret ingredient to be?
It's not really my thing--food as competition has always kind of rubbed me the wrong way.
What would you want to be your last meal?
It's not a matter of "what"--it's more a matter of "with whom."
Best music to cook to?
It's a tie. If I have the entire kitchen to myself, M Ward, Transistor Radio. If I need to pick up the pace just a half step, Bright Eyes, Digital Ash In a Digital Urn
Photograph by delish.com
What's the biggest mistake you've ever made in a professional kitchen?
To be scared, to forget that any kitchen is simply a kitchen
What do you want to be when you grow up?
I have not decided yet: beloved culinary matron, food archaeologist, farmer, chocolate maker (as in owning and running a chocolate factory)
What would you want to be your last meal?
Meaty pork cracklings
Ingredient/trend you'd be happy to have just go away?
There is a season for everything; even for foam
Best album to cook to?
I run to extremes: Esteban Salas Cuban baroque music by Cathedral choir of my hometown, Santiago de Cuba, when I am creating new dishes; loud Brazilian Timbalada or fast-paced Vallenato from Colombia when I am wrapping tamales.
Sweetbreads wrapped in chicken skins with tehina*
Who is the most talented chef you know?
Nick Elmi at le- bec fin
What do you want to be when you grow up?
Snowboard Bum
What would you want to be your last meal?
Dim Sum
Most underrated Food City?
Tel Aviv