These two Fort Worth restaurants made the James Beard Foundation Awards short list
Two Fort Worth restaurants have been named semifinalists in the 2023 James Beard Foundation Award.
Don Artemio is a semifinalist for Best New Restaurant, while Goldee’s BBQ is up for Best Chef: Texas. The finalists will be announced on March 29 and winners on June 5.
Since 1991, the James Beard Foundation has been handing out trophies to eateries across the country. Chefs and restaurants are recognized in 23 categories each year at the awards ceremony.
James Beard Award nomination came as a total surprise for co-owners of Don Artemio
When Adrian Burciaga, general manager and co-owner at Don Artemio, heard about the nomination he couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
“Goosebumps and chills, and happy tears,” Burciaga said about how he felt. “I have honestly happy tears.”
Burciaga hadn’t heard about the nomination until his friend Gino Rojas, owner of Revolver Taco, texted him this morning with the news. Burciaga sprung in action scouring the James Beard website and checking Facebook to make sure the news was true.
After confirming the news, Burciaga immediately called his wife. Remembering she was at an appointment, he called his Don Artemio partner and friend, Chef Juan Ramón Cárdenas.
“We’re all very excited,” Burciaga said. “Very, very emotionally excited.”
Don Artemio opened in April 2022 with the goal of transporting guests to Mexico, not only with the food but the architecture as well, Burciaga said.
Burciaga remembers over the 10 months since the restaurant opened, people mention that Don Artemio was destined for a James Beard award, but the staff only worried about making sure guests left happy and with full bellies. Wednesday’s announcement came out of nowhere. Burciaga said it was a total surprise.
A few must try’s at Don Artemio are the nopalitos fritos tacos appetizer, cabrito al horno or slow cooked goat dish, the Chilean sea bass in a Oaxacan black mole and the deconstructed tres leches cake. Burciaga said the restaurant also has 31 Mexican wines ready to open.
“We’ve been getting great responses since day one from the community,” Burciaga said. “We’re very happy to be in Fort Worth.”
Don Artemio is open from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday-Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday at 3268 W. 7th St.
Goldee’s BBQ pitmasters are up for the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Texas
Over at Goldee’s BBQ, the three pitmasters who co-own and operate the popular eatery are jointly up for James Beard’s Best Chef: Texas award. That would of course be Jalen Heard, Lane Milne and Jonny White.
On Wednesday morning, Milne was out at a used equipment store in search of a new hot box — a direct heat cooker. The equipment was to help out a former employee who is opening a new barbecue joint in Lockhart.
While he was out shopping, Milne said he looked down at his phone to a slew of congratulatory texts on their James Beard Awards nomination. He quickly forwarded the news to White and Heard. After the initial surprise, the trio erupted in euphoric joy.
“We’re blown away,” Milne said. “It came out of nowhere and we’re super excited and we couldn’t be more honored and humbled.”
Goldee’s opened near Kennedale just a few weeks before the COVID-19 pandemic struck in spring 2020. The restaurant never wavered and was ranked No. 1 in the state for barbecue by Texas Monthly in October 2021.
Goldee’s BBQ is open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday through Sunday, or until they run out of food, at 4645 Dick Price Road.
This story was originally published January 25, 2023 at 4:30 PM.
