Isaac Toups, the Rayne-born chef who owns and operates the New Orleans restaurant Toups’ Meatery, was named as a semifinalist for the Best Chef of the South by the James Beard Foundation Wednesday.
The Foundation announced its list of Restaurant & Chef Award semifinalists for the 26th annual James Beard Foundation Awards. Selected from a list of more than 20,000 online entries, the prestigious group of semi-finalists in 21 categories represents a wide range of culinary talent, from exceptional chefs and dining destinations in ten different regions across the U.S., to the nation’s top wine and spirits professionals, best new restaurants, rising star chefs, pastry chefs and bakers. Issac Toups can currently can be seen as a contestant on Bravo’s Top Chef competition.
Other Louisiana chefs were nominated in various categories, all operating restaurants in New Orleans, including Donald Link, who was nominated as Outstanding Chef & Kelly Fields of Willa Jean, nominated as Outstanding Pastry Chef.
To see a complete list of the nominees, click here.