Alabama bar professional advances to finals in James Beard Awards

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April 6, 2025

Only one of the three Alabama culinary professionals nominated as semifinalists for the 2025 James Beard Foundation Awards is advancing to the finals.

José Medina Camacho, founder and beverage director of Adiõs cocktail bar and Salud taqueria in Birmingham, is a finalist in the all-new category of Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service in the revered culinary honors.

The James Beard Awards announced the finalists on April 2, culling the list from the semifinalists announced in January. Winners will be announced in the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards ceremony at the Lyric Opera in Chicago on June 16.

“I’m incredibly honored to be listed amongst all the other professionals,” Medina Camacho said after learning he had advanced to the finals. “I’m looking forward to getting to Chicago. It was always a dream to be nominated.”

The national category puts Medina Camacho up against Jacob Brown at Lazy Bear in San Francisco, Arjav Ezekiel at Birdie’s in Austin, Cassandra Felix of Daniel in New York, and Cristie Norman at Delilah in Las Vegas.

Not moving on to the finals are chefs David Bancroft from Acre restaurant in Auburn and Arwen Rice from Red or White restaurant in Mobile. Both were nominated for Best Chef: South, which includes chefs from Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and Puerto Rico.

Two chefs from Puerto Rico, two from Arkansas, and one from Florida made the finals.

In addition to this year, Bancroft has been nominated for the same award in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019.

This was the second year in a row Rice made the semifinals.

You can see a full list of the finalists here.

Courtesy of Alabama News Center

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