JWU North Miami Announces 2015 Zest Awards Nominees

Today, Johnson & Wales University announced the nominees for its fourth annual Zest Awards. The event honors all those in the food biz from restaurants, to chefs and even food media — which we were proudly nominated for.

Take a peek below at this year's nominees and then head over here to vote for your favorites. Polls close March 1.

Best Restaurant
Area 31
Bourbon Steak at Turnberry Isle Resort
Edge Steak & Bar
Makoto Bal Harbour
Palme d’Or at the Biltmore Hotel
Sugarcane Raw Bar Grill

Best Boutique Restaurant
Blackbrick Chinese
Bread & Butter
Drunken Dragon 
The Federal 
Hiro’s Yako-San
MC Kitchen
Sakaya Kitchen
Whisk

Best Bar/Lounge
Blackbird Ordinary
Broken Shaker at Freehand Miami
db Bistro Miami
Khong River House 
St. Regis Bar at the St. Regis Bal Harbour
Swine

Best Wine Program
The Biltmore
The Dutch at W South Beach
Graziano’s
The Setai
St. Regis
Uvaggio
Zuma

Culinary Innovator
Tim Andriola, Timo and Basil Park
John Kunkel, 50 Eggs
Michael Schwartz, The Genuine Hospitality Group
Jose Mendin, Pubbelly Group
Danny Serfer, Blue Collar and Mignonette

Newcomer of the Year
1826
Basil Park
L’Echon
Mignonette
Oolite
Touche at E11even

Baking & Pastry Chef of the Year
Antonio Bachour, St. Regis Bal Harbour
Jerome Maure, db Bistro Miami
Jason Morale, Sugarcane Raw Bar Grill and Bocce Ristorante
Zak Stern, Zak the Baker
Keith Wallace, Four Seasons Miami

Best Food Blogger (Reader’s Choice)
Adventures of the Foodaholic
Burger Beast
Food for Thought
Lee2Go
Miami Dish
The Hungry Post
South Florida Food and Wine
Miami Food Pug

Best Food Reporting – Traditional Media (Readers’ Choice)
ChatChow
Eater Miami
Edible South Florida
Indulge 
Miami.com 
The Miami Herald
MIAMI Modern Luxury Magazine
Ocean Drive Magazine
Short Order (Miami New Times)
South Florida Gourmet