Minneapolis pastry chef the lone local James Beard Awards nominee
Minneapolis pastry chef Shawn McKenzie was named a finalist Wednesday for a national James Beard Award, in the highly competitive category of Outst...
Minneapolis pastry chef Shawn McKenzie was named a finalist Wednesday for a national James Beard Award, in the highly competitive category of Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker. The Café Cerés and Rustica chef and co-owner now faces four other chefs from around the country for the title, which will be announced in Chicago on June 5. Remarkably, she was the lone chef from the Twin Cities to be recognized in 2023. Of the four Minnesota chefs to be longlisted earlier this year as James Beard semifinalists in the Best Chef: Midwest category, none continued on in the competition, making 2023 the first year without a Minnesota finalist in two decades.