Today the James Beard Foundation announced the nominees for the 2008 James Beard Foundation Awards during a press breakfast at the historic James Beard House in New York City’s West Village. There were nominees in 52 categories including restaurant and chef, books, journalism, design and graphics, and broadcast media. 

Highlights from this year’s list of nominees include:

Outstanding Restaurant: Boulevard (Chef/Owner: Nancy Oakes, Owner: Pat Kuleto, San Francisco, CA); Campanile (Chef/Owner: Mark Peel, Los Angeles, CA); Gramercy Tavern (Owner: Danny Meyer, New York, NY); Jean Georges (Chef/Owner: Jean-Georges Vongerichten, New York, NY); The Slanted Door (Chef/Owner: Charles Phan, San Francisco, CA).

Outstanding Chef: Grant Achatz (Alinea, Chicago, IL); José Andrés (Minibar, Washington, DC); Dan Barber (Blue Hill, New York, NY); Suzanne Goin (Lucques, Los Angeles, CA); Frank Stitt (Highlands Bar & Grill, Birmingham, AL).

Rising Star Chef: Nate Appleman (A 16, San Francisco, CA); Sean Brock (McCrady’s, Charleston, SC); Gavin Kaysen (Café Boulud, New York, NY); Johnny Monis (Komi, Washington, DC); Matt Molina (Osteria Mozza, Los Angeles, CA); Gabriel Rucker (Le Pigeon, Portland, OR).

Best New Restaurant: Anthos (Chef/Owner: Michael Psilakis, Owner: Donatella Arpaia, New York, NY); Central Michel Richard (Chef/Owner: Michel Richard, Washington, DC); Fearing’s at the Ritz-Carlton (Chef/Owner: Dean Fearing, Dallas, TX); Osteria Mozza (Chef: Matt Molina; Owners: Nancy Silverton, Mario Batali, Joseph Bastianich, Los Angeles, CA); Osteria (Chef/Owners: Marc Vetri, Jeff Michaud, Owner: Jeff Benjamin, Philadelphia, PA).

Not a Florida name among them. I talked to Izabela Wojcik, the director of house programming for the Beard Foundation, last week. I was wondering what Florida Gulf Coast chefs are scheduled for events at the Beard House this year.

She said, "I am still working on the programming calendar for the rest of the year. At this point, nothing jumps out at me as Gulf chefs. More typically, it’s chefs from Miami or Ft. Lauderdale. The only one at the moment is Chris Otten from Nine One Five in Key West. Perhaps you can recommend some for my consideration?"

And I said I would come up with a list. Any thoughts?