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: