Providence chefs James Mark and Derek Wagner are on the list of James Beard Foundation semifinalists for Best Chef Northeast. Newport chef Mariana Gonzalez-Trasvina of Bar 'Cino was named in the national Rising Star Chef category for chefs under 30. The awards are considered the "Oscars" of the food world.

Mark was a finalist last year, the first year he was nominated.

"I’m happy to help move forward the conversation around food and restaurants in New England," said Mark, who was nominated for Big King. Though he added that he felt R.I. and Providence were snubbed a bit this year.

"The cooking in this city and state is really special," he said. Mark also owns North in Providence. Last year he opened the Dean Bar in the Dean Hotel.

Chef Gonzalez-Trasvina was at the helm when the Newport Restaurant Group opened Bar 'Cino last year in Newport. She was born in Mexico and spent 10 years in Puerto Rico before coming to Johnson and Wales University where she earned her culinary degree.

Wagner, selected for Nicks on Broadway, last year opened Nicks on Westminster. He first appeared on the James Beard semifinalist list for 2015.

He was emotional about the nomination and proud of his team.

"Today is actually our 18th anniversary of opening the doors, and I’m already in such an emotional and reflective state about the journey," he said. "All the stress, sweat and hours over the years, the extra steps and efforts, trying to do good work and create not only delicious food but a positive impact in our community and the hospitality industry, it’s hard, and it's hard on us."

"I just can’t say enough how meaningful the acknowledgment is on this platform to all the work and long hours the team and I have put in. And to be grouped with chefs like James, who are also using their voice and work to affect positive change and trying to make a difference in people’s lives, it makes it all the more meaningful," he said.

The New York-based James Beard Foundation named nominees for the 30th year in 23 restaurant and chef categories, most of them national. Best Chef awards are broken down by region.

Seven restaurants each from Maine and Massachusetts dominated the 20-chef Best Chef Northeast list. Rhode Island had two semifinalists while Vermont, Connecticut and Vermont each had a single semifinalist.

The remaining nominees include Massachusetts chefs Unmi Abkin, Coco & the Cellar Bar, Easthampton; Tracy Chang, Pagu, Cambridge; Carl Dooley, The Table at Season to Taste, Cambridge; Tiffani Faison, Orfano, Boston; Cassie Piuma, Sarma, Somerville; Mayumi Hattori, The Club Car, Nantucket; and Douglass Williams, MIDA, Boston.

Maine chefs are Vien Dobui, CONG TU BOT, Portland; Devin Finigan, Aragosta at Goose Cove, Deer Isle; Erin French, The Lost Kitchen, Freedom; Ben Jackson, Drifters Wife, Portland; Krista Kern Desjarlais, The Purple House, North Yarmouth; Greg Mitchell and Chad Conley, Palace Diner, Biddeford; and Ravin Nakjaroen, Long Grain, Camden.

Completing the list of 20 semifinalists are Connecticut’s Tyler Anderson, Millwright's Restaurant, Simsbury; Vermont’s Cara Chigazola Tobin, Honey Road, Burlington; and New Hampshire’s David Vargas, Vida Cantina, Portsmouth.

The list will be whittled down to five finalists to be announced on March 25.

Johanne Killeen and the late George Germon, of Al Forno, in Providence, won the James Beard Foundation’s Best Chef: Northeast Award in 1993, making them the only Rhode Islanders to have earned the honor.

gciampa@providencejournal.com

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