Greensboro’s Machete a semifinalist for a James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant | Dining

Machete, a restaurant that opened just at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, is among the nationwide semifinalists for a James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant.

The James Beard Foundation, which runs the award, announced its semifinalists in that and many other categories on Feb. 23.

Machete, at 600-C Battleground Ave. in Greensboro, is among two N.C. restaurants in the 30 semifinalists for Best New Restaurant. The other is Nani’s Piri Piri Chicken in Asheville.

Other N.C. semifinalists in other categories are Chai Pani in Asheville for Outstanding Restaurant, Curate in Asheville for Outstanding Hospitality, Cleophus Hethington of Benne on Eagle in Asheville for Emerging Chef, Susannah Gebhart of Old World Levain (OWL) Bakery in Asheville for Outstanding Baker and Alley Twenty Six in Durham for Outstanding Bar Program.

In addition, nine N.C. chefs were among the 20 semifinalists for Best Chef Southeast. Two of those are in Winston-Salem: Peyton Smith, the chef/owner of Mission Pizza Napoletana, and Stephanie Tyson, the chef/co-owner of Sweet Potatoes.

The other N.C. chefs are Katie Button of Curate in Asheville, Sunny Gerhart of St. Roch Fine Oysters + Bar in Raleigh, Cheetie Kumar of Garland in Raleigh, Oscar Diaz of the Cortez in Raleigh, Ricky Moore of Saltbox Seafood Joint in Durham, Greg Collier of Leah & Louise in Charlotte and Aaron Vandemark of Panciuto in Hillsborough.