Chef Vinnie Cimino Named James Beard Award Finalist For the Second Time

Cleveland is one step closer to bringing home its first James Beard Award since 2015. The awards, started in 1991 by the James Beard Foundation, are considered one of the highest honors in food. 

Chef Vinnie Cimino was named a finalist for Best Chef in the James Beard Awards’ Great Lakes region. In 2024, Cimino, the executive chef of Cordelia on East Fourth Street, became the first chef to reach the final round since Greenhouse Tavern’s Jonathon Sawyer won in 2015. The honor went to Hajime Sato of Sozai, a now-closed sushi restaurant in Clawson, Michigan.

The Cordelia leader was also named a semifinalist last year in the category that includes Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio. If he were to win the award, he'd be the third in history. Michael Symon was the first with Lola's Bistro, whose space is now home to Cordelia.

Suggested: Rosy, the New Restaurant from Cordelia, Reminds Chef Vinnie Cimino Why He Loves to Cook

In February, Cimino and partner Andrew Watts launched Rosy, which explores old-world European food centered around a live-fire grill. In 2024, Cordelia was named Best New Restaurant by the Cleveland Magazine readers. 

"I’m always grateful to represent our great city and infinitely proud of our teams at Cordelia and Rosy," wrote Cimino in an email. "Let's bring this baby back to Cleveland!"