On Wednesday, the James Beard Foundation announced their list of semifinalists for the 2024 Restaurant and Chef Awards – which are often called the Oscars of the culinary world. And one Wilmington chef is up for a big one.
Dean Neff, chef/owner at Seabird in downtown Wilmington, is on the list of 20 semifinalists for Outstanding Chef, where he is joined by culinary professionals from around the country including those in New York City, San Francisco and Puerto Rico.
In 2023, Neff was up for another award from the Foundation as a s emifinalist for Best Chef: Southeast, along with Keith Rhodes of Catch in Wilmington. (Terry Koval of The Deer and the Dove in Decatur, Georgia, won the award.)
“What this says to me is that this community, and all of the wonderful things that are happening here, are being recognized,” Neff said. “This is a wonderful place and produces wonderful seafood. This is a nod to all of that.”
Locals will find out if Neff makes it to the nominee round when they are announced on April 3. The awards are to be given out at the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards Ceremony on June 10 in Chicago. The 2024 Restaurant and Chef semifinalists are recognized across 22 categories. No other Wilmington chefs or restaurants are among the 2024 semifinalists but there are others from North Carolina.