The semifinalists for the 2024 James Beard Awards have been revealed, and one Iowan has made the cut!. In the culinary world, getting recognized by the James Beard Foundation is a huge honor. Several Iowans have been nominated for awards through the foundation in the past, but there’s only ONE in 2024. His name is Chris Hoffmann. Chris one of 20 semifinalists in the ‘Best Chef: Midwest’ category, which also includes chefs from Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.