Only February and it’s been a big year for the South Jersey canteen.
The two favorites of South Jersey are considered as one of the main culinary awards of the country – the James Byrd Prize.
It’s on your heels Karin’s place Camden won the America’s Classics Award from the Beard Foundation last week.
The semifinalists of the 2022 Restaurant and Chef Award were announced on Wednesday.
Tenth time charm for chefs Collingswood?
In the coveted category of “Best Mid-Atlantic Chef” Joey Baldina Tseppali in Collingswood received his 10th Beard nomination.
The award is given to chefs who “make an effort to help create a sustainable work culture in their regions”.
Baldina, owner / chef of Zeppoli and Palizzi Social Club in South Philly, has been recognized by high standards in his culinary skills and leadership abilities.
Baldina opened Zeppoli on Collings Ave and received his first nomination for James Byrd that year. The intimate restaurant BYOB for 35 seats was recognized as the best new restaurant in the Mid-Atlantic region.
Since then, Baldin has been a semi-finalist nine times, he has been considered every year, but the main regional victory has eluded him.
In 2020, he told the Courier-Post that, no matter how good the victory, being nominated is enough honor.
“I will be grateful for the honor and recognition, but it will not change me or what I usually do every day. Being named a semifinalist for the first time and many times since has been the most important thing,” he said at the time.
Fine food has been a part of Baldin’s life since his upbringing in South Philadelphia.
Shortly after graduating from Temple University and the French Culinary Institute, Baldin was promoted to chef at the Vetri Ristorante restaurant in Philadelphia.
In 2019, the chef released his first cookbook “Dinner at the Club: 100 Years of Stories and Recipes from the Palizzi Southern Branch Social Club”, co-authored by former Courier Post writer and travel writer Adam Eros. and cocktail recipes offered at a private club.
Steve & Cookie’s: Shore’s Favorite
Cookie Till was excited to hear that she was nominated, but even more shocked that it was for her staff.
“I thought,‘ Wow, well, that’s very nice, ’and then the hospitality to be nominated is very interesting because I feel like it speaks to the whole restaurant,” she shared.
Steve & Cookie’s By the Bay in Margate City, where Lucy’s tall elephant statue is located, was nominated for the Outstanding Hospitality Award.
The award recognizes “consistent and excellent hospitality and restaurant service, and strives to ensure a sustainable work culture.”
This is Till’s second nomination for James Byrd for her very popular – booking for summer dinners is usually booked for months – Jersey Shore Restaurant. In 2020, she was nominated for the title of “Excellent Restaurateur”.
Till opened Steve & Cookie’s in 1997 after she and her late husband Steve Till opened a small seasonal eatery called The Crab Pot. She continued her success with Ventnor’s second business, a coffee shop and bakery. 7311, which she and friend Kim Richmond have co-owned for more than five years.
Snacks, such as Tik Tok star Sherin Paulides, flock to a restaurant on Amherst Avenue to enjoy the famous Tilla tomato salad with blue cheese and shallots and special cocktails such as Sensual Sidecar (Paul Bo vs. Cognac, Orange, Patron ripe ”fresh agave nectar lemon juice and sugar on raw rim).
“Steve & Cookie’s South Jersey would seem to be my favorite,” Paulides told the Courier Post.
Obviously, Teal’s love for her employees is great and bold, and most have worked with her for years. Her chef, co-chef and almost all of her bartenders started with her 25 years ago.
“It makes me feel good because it really gets to know the whole restaurant and the people who make it special,” Til shared. “So it really makes me happy.”
“Your staff is everything; you can’t do it alone, “she continued.” So that they’re all recognized, it just makes everyone feel good. But I also told my manager when I talked to her today that – I said, ” So now we really have to be in our game, “because people will think, ‘Oh, the great candidate of James Beard.'”
Earlier this month In 2022, Corinne’s Place in Camden received the American Beard Foundation’s “Classic Award”. one of six award winners this year.
The James Byrd Foundation says the award is given to “local restaurants that have timeless appeal and are loved in the region for quality food that reflects the nature of the community. This year’s winners have joined the ranks of more than 100 restaurants across the country, which have received the award since the introduction of the category in 1998. “
Confectioner of South Jersey in Philly
When it was reported that Angela Ranali-Chicala was recognized as one of the best confectioners in the country, she did not pay attention. She was much more worried about the snake dessert she was going to cook for dinner that evening.
Instead, she received a message about her James Byrd nomination through a text from a local reporter.
“I thought, ‘What are the odds?’ There are about 20 of them in the United States, ”she said. “I never thought about it, ever. I’m excited. “
Ronali-Chicala and her husband, chef Joe Sicala – also a former Beard nominee – have just opened their southern Italian restaurant, Cyclingin November 2019 at the Divine Lorraine Hotel in the Fairmount section of Philadelphia.
Three months later, the pandemic shut down their entire business. At one point they turned to using South Philly’s own backyard for the semi-legal “speakeasy” pizza, which led them to minor problems with the city.
“It’s all right,” laughs Ranali-Chichala. “It was very, very good PR.”
But when their new restaurant is in Philadelphia, the crunchy cookies, sweet panettone and fresh cannoli she serves on a Piccola Pasticceria dessert tray have roots in both South Jersey and the southern Italian region of Abruzzo.
Ranali-Chichala learned how to make delicate Italian sweets first from her grandmother and mother in Marleton – and from her mother’s favorite bakery, which she founded in Maple Shadow, DiLuzio’s Italian Delights.
Ranali-Chichala likes to think that her mother has little to do with the award nomination.
“My mother died recently in October … and I just think she may have a hand in it,” Ronali-Chikala said. “She was very proud of my dessert – she taught me to make it. I hope she sees it and is involved in it. ”
Other regional nominations
Til, Baldina and Ronali-Chichala are not the only ones celebrating their nominations.
Ellen Yin of the High Street Hospitality Group (Fork, a.kitchen + bar, High Street Philly and others) in Philadelphia has been nominated for the Outstanding Restaurateur Award. a.kitchen + bar in Philadelphia is also considered for the “Excellent Wine Program” award.
Friday to Sunday in Philadelphia received a nomination for outstanding restaurant. Amanda Shulman of Her Place Supper Club in Philadelphia was seen as the new chef.
Rhonda Salzman and Mercedes Brooks of Second Daughter Baking Co. in Philadelphia nominated as outstanding bakers.
One of the nominations for the “Best New Restaurant” award went to Laser Wolf in Philadelphia.
Elsewhere in New Jersey Melissa Hamilton and Christopher Hirsheimer of Canal House Station in Milford were nominated for Best Mid-Atlantic Chef.
Adam Diltz from Elwood in Philadelphia, Christina Martinez from South Philly Barbacoa in Philadelphia, Chutatip “Nok” Suntaranon from Kalaya Thai Kitchen in Philadelphia and Wei Lu from China Chalet in Florham Park join Baldin and chefs in the Canal House category.
“The James Byrd Prize in 2022 will be the first in two years since the break, during which the prize passed a full review of its policies and procedures, continuing to work to eliminate bias, increase transparency and accessibility and align the program with the fund’s mission and values.” in a press release announcing the nominees.
The Mid-Atlantic region is considered one of the most competitive categories of the Beard Foundation.
This is the first round of nominees, and the list of semifinalists will be cut by James Byrd voters.
The finalists of the Restaurant and Chef Awards, as well as the Leadership Awards, the Lifetime Achievement Awards and the Humanitarian of the Year will be announced on March 16.
The winners will be celebrated at the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards on June 13 at the Chicago Lyric Opera. See the full list of semifinalists on the website jamesbeard.org/
Hira Qureshi covers food and drink for South Jersey in the Courier Post, Burlington County Times and Daily Journal. You can contact her at HQureshi@gannettnj.com or 856-287-8106. Help support local journalism with digital subscriptions.
