San Francisco has no less than 7 chefs duking it out in the James Beard Foundation semi-finalist category for ‘Best Chef in the West’.

Matthew Accarrino (SPQR), Nicolaus Balla (Bar Tartine), Chris Cosentino (Incanto), Dominique Crenn (Atelier Crenn), Mourad Lahlou (Aziza), Corey Lee (Benu), Daniel Patterson (Coi) were named semifinalists today in a category stacked with culinary talent.

Other Chefs in Northern California reaching the semis include Michael Chiarello (Bottega) and Christopher Kostow (The Restaurant at Meadowood).

But that’s not all.

When it comes to best new restaurants, San Francisco also represents. Rich Table, and State Bird Provisions will battle top-runners from Atlanta, Santa Monica, Chicago, and NYC among other great culinary destinations for a spot in the finals.

In the prestigious “Best Chef” category, Gary Danko (Restaurant Gary Danko) and Michael Tusk (Quince) were short-listed. And David Kinch (Manresa) located South in Los Gatos also received a nod.

Organizers have announced that the 2013 James Beard foundation Award nominees will be revealed on March 18.

For video highlights of some of the James Beard-nominated Chefs in action, keep on scrollin’.

WATCH: Chef David Kinch Talks Truffles

WATCH: Michael Tusk in the Kitchen (3:15)

WATCH: Chef Michael Chiarello of Bottega talks it up on location (1:40)

WATCH: Dominque Crenn Battles Chefs Cosentino & Faulkner

Loni Stark
Loni Stark is an artist at Atelier Stark, psychology researcher, and technologist whose work explores the intersection of identity, creativity, and technology. A self-professed foodie and adventure travel enthusiast, she collaborates on visual storytelling projects with Clinton Stark for Stark Insider. Her insights are shaped by her role at Adobe, influencing her explorations into the human-tech relationship. It's been said her laugh can still be heard from San Jose up to the Golden Gate Bridge—unless sushi, her culinary Kryptonite, has momentarily silenced her.