Chef Briar Handly earns James Beard Nomination

Chef Briar Handly earned a James Beard Awards semifinalist spot for his work with Park City staple Handle. Photo: Panic Button Media.

NEW YORK CITY – The James Beard Foundation announced today its 2022 Restaurant and Chef Awards semifinalists in advance of the returning James Beard Awards® presented by Capital One. Park City’s own Chef Briar Handly of Handle is nominated for best chef in the Mountain division.

“To be nominated for a James Beard award is such a huge honor and something I have always hoped and strived to achieve since I began cooking many years ago,” said Handly. “To be recognized alongside so many other talented professionals in this industry makes me so proud of what our team has accomplished.”

Handle is known for its shareable, small plated, upscale American cuisine and inventive cocktails sourced locally and organic whenever possible.

Winners will be celebrated at the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards ceremony on Monday, June 13, 2022, at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Restaurant and Chef Awards nominees, in addition to honorees for Leadership, Lifetime Achievement Award, and Humanitarian of the Year Awards will be revealed on Wednesday, March 16, 2022, in Scottsdale, AZ.

The James Beard Foundation’s Restaurant and Chef Awards were established in 1991 and is one of five separate recognition programs of the Awards. James Beard Awards policies and procedures can be viewed at jamesbeard.org/awards/policies.

Find the full list of nominees 2022 Restaurant and Chef Award semifinalists here, and Best Chef: Mountain nominees below:

Best Chef: Mountain (CO, ID, MT, UT, WY) 

• Saibeen Acord, Saibeen’s Kitchen, Great Falls, MT
• Salvador Alamilla, Amano, Caldwell, ID
• Dan Ansotegui, Ansots, Boise, ID
• Jose Avila, El Borrego Negro, Denver
• Mike Blocher, Nick Fahs, and David Barboza, Table X, Salt Lake City
• Cody Cheetham, Tavernetta, Denver
• Logen Crew and Paul Chamberlain, SLC Eatery, Salt Lake City
• Caroline Glover, Annette, Aurora, CO
• Briar Handly, Handle, Park City, UT
• Suchada Johnson, Teton Thai, Teton Village, WY
• Kris Komori, KIN, Boise, ID
• Chris Lockhart and Danny Mowatt, PREROGATIvE Kitchen, Red Lodge, MT
• Chris McDonald, Cowfish, Lander, WY
• Mawa McQueen, Mawa’s Kitchen, Aspen, CO
• Brian Menges, The 2nd Street Bistro, Livingston, MT
• Paul Naugle, Izakaya Three Fish, Bozeman, MT
• Dana Rodriguez, Work & Class, Denver
• Eric Skokan, Black Cat Farm Table Bistro, Boulder, CO
• Luis Young, Penrose Room, Colorado Springs, CO
• Dave Wells, The Tasting Room at Chico Hot Springs Resort & Day Spa, Pray, MT