Meet some of the Triangle chefs who have garnered acclaim from the James Beard Foundation
Preeti Waas
At her acclaimed eatery Cheeni, chef Preeti Waas serves up authentic, home-cooked Indian dishes that foster a sense of community. Preeti, a semifinalist for the esteemed Best Chef: Southeast accolade in both 2023 and 2024 for Cheeni’s now-shuttered Raleigh outpost, showcases her culinary prowess at the Durham location with seasonal menu items like pork aam kasundi, a delectable fusion of heritage pork, green mango and Bengali mustard. Cheeni’s beverage program, The Bar Beej, spearheaded by Preeti and her daughter Amy Waas, was named a James Beard Award semifinalist in…..