CINCINNATI — Two longtime restaurant and bar industry professionals in Cincinnati have been named 2025 James Beard Award finalists.
Longfellow's Mike Stankovich and Wildweed's David Jackman were announced Wednesday as finalists in their respective categories for the James Beard Awards, which is celebrating its 35th year.
Equivalent to the restaurant and bar industry's Academy Awards, the James Beard Awards, first held in 1991, are considered one of the most prestigious honors in the industry.
Stankovich, owner and operator of Longfellow in Over-the-Rhine, is a finalist for the "Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service" category, which is new this year.
Longfellow, which sits near Wildweed at the corner of E 13th Street and Clay Street, first opened in 2017. The bar, which is cozy and fitted with a classic horseshoe bar, offers guests classic cocktails, as well as cheap beer beloved by the average dive bargoer. There's also a small rotating menu of bar snacks.
The bar was previously recognized by USA Today on its "Best Bars in America in 2024" list.
Jackman, chef at Over-the-Rhine's Wildweed, is a finalist in the "Best Chef" category for the Great Lakes region, which includes Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio. Jackman is the only representative from the Buckeye State to be named a finalist in the category.
Wildweed opened its brick-and-mortar restaurant, which sits at the corner of E 13th Street and Walnut Street, in summer 2024. The restaurant boasts a seasonally driven menu in its dining room, as well as a 12-seat chef's counter, which offers a daily menu of a dozen or so dishes centered on seven ingredients.
Wildweed was also named one of Esquire's "The Best New Restaurants in America, 2024."
Fellow Cincinnati chef Jordan Anthony-Brown, who is the owner and chef at The Aperture in Walnut Hills, was recognized as a semifinalist for the "Emerging Chef" category, but he did not make the finalist cut.
The Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky restaurant industry has been honored for several years with the awards, with previous nods going to the likes of Jose Salazar, Jeffrey Harris, DaElaine Uykimpang Bentz, Jean-Robert De Cavel and more.
Winners for the 2025 awards will be announced at the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards ceremony on Monday, June 16 in Chicago.
