A Palestinian chef using ancient cooking techniques, a Senegalese restaurant in New Orleans and an upscale Thai restaurant in Oregon have won coveted James Beard Awards.

The owners and staff of the Filipino, fine-dining restaurant Kaya are heading to Chicago, hoping to bring home the James Beard Award for best new restaurant.

The James Beard Awards announced its finalists for the 2022 competition Wednesday, revealing that all five Orlando-area chefs and restaurant owners who made it to the semifinals are now out of the running for the prestigious award.

Several well-known names in Central Florida's food scene are in the running for the 2022 James Beard Awards, a top honor in the food industry.