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The James Beard Awards Nominations Are Out. Who's Representing Philadelphia?

By Paul Kurtz

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) --- Philadelphia's restaurant industry will be well represented at this year's James Beard Foundation Awards ceremony in Chicago.

The nominees include five chefs, one restaurant mogul and a beer baron. Marc Vetri is one of just five nominated for Outstanding Chef. Vetri has been down this road before. In 2005 he was named best chef for the Mid-Atlantic region. But he blew off the ceremony.

"I was nominated there like 3 years in a row," he says. "And we had this huge wine dinner and I was like, I'm just gonna work the wine dinner. I don't feel like heading up to New York again. I'm not gonna win anyway and so... and I won. Of course."

He's not agonizing over the outcome. "To be though of as one of five that folks think about is more than rewarding enough," he says.

This year Vetri says he will go to Chicago in May for the Beard Foundation Awards ceremony along with Steven Starr who's been nominated for Outstanding Restaurateur.

Alex Bois of High Street is up for Rising Star Chef of the year.

Local nominees for Best Chef Mid-Atlantic include Joe Cicala, Rich Landau and Greg Vernick. Sam Calagione of Dogfish Head Brewery in Delaware has been nominated for best wine, beer or spirits professional.

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