Food and Drink

Two Alaska chefs score prestigious James Beard Award nominations

Two Alaska chefs have scored nominations for the prestigious James Beard Awards.

Denali Park's Laura Cole of 229 Parks and Juneau's Beau Schooler of The Rookery Cafe were both nominated for awards in separate categories. Cole picked up her first nomination for Best Chef of the Northwest region, while Schooler cinched his second consecutive Rising Star of the Year nomination.

Both categories are competitive. Cole's fellow nominees include chefs from culinary hot spots like Seattle and Portland, Oregon. Schooler's category, which recognizes chefs 30 years old or younger, includes nominees from New York City, San Francisco and Chicago.

Having their names attached to James Beard is nothing new for Cole and Schooler. Both are set to host a "Great Alaska Seafood Celebration" dinner at the James Beard House in April. Dinners at the James Beard House are considered prestigious but are not associated with the awards.

Cole said she was "beyond excited" to learn of the nomination. She said no one thought she would make it when she first opened her small restaurant -- she's one of four people on staff during the winter -- in the middle of Denali Park 11 years ago. Now she's honored to represent the state.

"Alaska has a culinary future that has yet to be written," she said in a phone interview Wednesday. "People should not discredit our food scene, because we're just cutting our teeth."

Schooler didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. The awards are scheduled for May 2 in Chicago.

Suzanna Caldwell

Suzanna Caldwell is a former reporter for Alaska Dispatch News and Alaska Dispatch. She left the ADN in 2017.

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