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Beard semifinalists: A who's who of Philly dining

There is a couples thing going on, as Vedge's Richard Landau is on the best-chef/mid-Atlantic list, while his wife, Kate Jacoby, is a semifinalist for best pastry chef. (Her competition includes Dominique Ansel, inventor of the Cronut.)

The 2014 James Beard Foundation Award semifinalists were announced this morning, and the big list - from which the finalists will be culled and divulged in early May - is stocked with Philadelphians.

Laurel - the East Passyunk BYOB from newly minted Top Chef Nicholas Elmi - and Serpico - the Peter Serpico-Stephen Starr destination on South Street - are among the 30 best-new-restaurant nominations from around the country.

There is a couples thing going on, as Vedge's Richard Landau is on the best-chef/mid-Atlantic  list, while his wife, Kate Jacoby, is a semifinalist for best pastry chef. (Her competition includes Dominique Ansel, inventor of the Cronut.)

And in the best restaurateur category, Marcie Turney and Valerie Safran of Little Nonna's, Jamonera, and Barbuzzo are semifinalists, as is Stephen Starr.

Christopher Kearse of East Passyunk's Will, Ben Puchowitz of Wash West's CHeU Noodle Bar, and Ben Nerenhausen of Princeton's Mistral are on the rising-chef list.

The best chef list for the mid-Atlantic region includes Scott Anderson of Princeton's Elements, Joey Baldino of Collingswood's Zeppoli, Pierre Calmels of South Philly's Bibou, Joe Cicala of East Passyunk's Le Virtù,  Rich Landau of Wash West's Vedge, Lucas Manteca of Cape May Point's The Red Store,  Bryan Sikora of Wilmington's La Fia,  Brad Spence of Wash West's Amis, and Lee Styer of East Passyunk's Fond.

The Franklin Mortgage & Investment Co. in Rittenhouse is up for bar program.

Marc Vetri is up for outstanding chef, while his flagship, Vetri, is up for outstanding service.

Fork is up for outstanding restaurant, a category open only to those in business 10 years or more.

Tom Peters of

Monk's Cafe

is up for outstanding wine, spirits, or beer professional, along with Sam Calagione of Delaware's

Dogfish Head Craft Brewery

.