The James Beard Foundation has announced its 2025 Restaurant and Chef Award semifinalists, which include an impressive 41 from Texas. The state is guaranteed to have 20 semifinalists each year, for the Best Chef: Texas category; the rest come from national categories, including Outstanding Restaurant and Emerging Chef. Of the big cities, Houston proper leads the way, with ten semifinalists, and it’s a delightful surprise to find San Antonio in second, with seven. Rounding out the group are Austin, with six selections; Dallas, with five; and El Paso, with three. The ’burbs have done well this year, as have smaller cities: Arlington, Brownsville, Irving, Kemah, Lewisville, Marfa, Seguin, Spring, and The Woodlands all make appearances on the list. Overall, the semifinalists represent both a wider geographic range…
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