3 Pittsburgh chefs make James Beard Awards semifinals list

Christian Frangiadis was flying home from Denmark when a customer called to make a booking at his Spork restaurant. He also congratulated the chef on his being named a James Beard Award semifinalist.

That’s how Frangiadis learned he was on the 2020 list of semifinalists, in his case for Best Chef, Mid-Atlantic.

“It’s very nice for the staff, for the restaurant,” he says.

Frangiadis is one of three Pittsburgh chefs to receive the designation, including:

• Wei Zhu, Chengdu Gourmet, 5840 Forward Ave., Squirrel Hill, Best Chef, Mid-Atlantic

• Neil Blazin, Driftwood Oven, 3615 Butler St., Lawrenceville, Outstanding Pastry Chef

Each category includes 20 semifinalists.

According to the James Beard Foundation, Best Chef candidates “set high culinary standards and also demonstrate integrity and admirable leadership skills in their respective regions.”

Outstanding Pastry Chef candidates must demonstrate “exceptional skill, integrity and character in the preparation of desserts, pastries or breads served in a restaurant.”

Spork, located at 5430 Penn Ave. in Bloomfield, annually closes for a week in January as a holiday break. This year, Frangiadis says, some “aesthetic changes” were made, along with menu changes.

We are truly honored to announce that Chef Christian Frangiadis cfrangiadis of Spork Pittsburgh Named a Best Chef Mid-Atlantic Semifinalist by the 2020 James Beard Awards
Restaurant & Chef Award Finalists to be… https://t.co/UoDN5i2gKf

— Spork (@sporkpgh) February 27, 2020

A new tasting menu, available in carnivore or vegetarian style, lets guests try dishes featuring produce from Spork’s on-site garden, house-made pastas, house-fermented and pickled items and locally sourced meats.

Frangiadis says over its four years the restaurant has evolved from “small plates, casual, the fashion at the time.”

He credits the staff, from bartenders to cooks. “Honestly, not to sound cliche, these things don’t happen in a vacuum,” he says.

“Everything you get here is made here. The bartenders cut ice by hand. We try at all times to make everything and hopefully make it well and hopefully make it delicious. Delicious is the number one priority,” Frangiadis says.

Driftwood Oven, perhaps best known for its sourdough crust pizza, caught the attention — and taste buds — of model/foodie Chrissy Teigen during a visit last year.

Also I had 4 pieces of INCREDIBLE PIZZA at driftwood kitchen last night. So if you are ever in pittsburgh, go there. Also order the kale caesar and 2 ice cream sandwiches for me

— christine teigen (@chrissyteigen) March 7, 2019

Chef Blazin was not immediately available for comment Thursday on his inclusion in the prominent list of semifinalists.

According to its website, the restaurant uses local, organic, seasonal ingredients. Along with pizza, the menu includes focaccia, meatballs, pepperoni roll, hand pies and sourdough sandwiches.

Wei Zhu could not be reached for comment at Chengdu Gourmet on Thursday.

Its online menu offers many expected Chinese restaurant dishes, including dumplings, egg rolls, fried rice and entrees such as General Tso’s chicken.

It also features some “traditional Chinese” items such as appetizers as sliced pork belly with fresh garlic, soups including fish fillet with pickled sour mustard green soup and dishes like Chinese eggplant in sweet flour paste sauce, Peking duck and chicken, jumbo shrimp, pork and tofu in casserole.

Final nominees will be announced at 9 a.m. March 25 via the foundation’s Twitter feed.

The 2020 James Beard Awards marks the 30th anniversary of the honors bestowed on chefs, restaurants, journalists, authors and other leaders in the food and beverage industry.