Here are Texas' James Beard finalists

Texas has 11 restaurants and chefs on the list of finalists for the 2024 James Beard awards .

Why it matters: The famed James Beard awards recognize talent in the restaurant industry — and the list released Wednesday confirms that Texas has plenty of that.

Here are the Lone Star State's finalists in national categories:

• Outstanding Chef: David Uygur of Lucia (Dallas)
• Outstanding Restaurant: Convenience West (Marfa)
• Outstanding Restaurant: Mixtli (San Antonio)
• Best New Restaurant: Barbs-B-Q (Lockhart)
• Outstanding Hospitality: Gemma (Dallas)
• Outstanding Bar: Las Ramblas (Brownsville)

In 2019, the foundation redistricted parts of the U.S. for the Best Chef category, giving Texas its own region. Here are the finalists in that category:

• Emmanuel Chavez, Tatemó (Houston)
• Tracy Malechek-Ezekiel, Birdie's (Austin)
• Misti Norris, Petra and the Beast (Dallas)
• Ana Liz Pulido, Ana Liz Taqueria (Mission)
• Christopher Cullum, Cullum's Attaboy (San Antonio)

What they're saying: Chef Diego Galicia, who owns Mixtli with Rico Torres, isn't new to the excitement. The acclaimed restaurant has been a semifinalist, but this is its first time as a finalist.

• He said the congratulatory calls and text messages started blowing up his phone at 9am, before he could see the list for himself.
• "It's not what I do but what we do as a team. It's 10 years of hard work, of dedication and commitment, and they deserve every bit of it. It's everyone that calls the restaurant home. Nothing — absolutely nothing — is sweeter than that," he says.

What's next: The winners will be revealed at a gala in Chicago on June 10.

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