Kentucky chef with ties to Lexington up for James Beard award. Where he’s cooking now.
A former Lexington chef is one of two Kentuckians up for a big honor.
Lawrence Weeks, former executive chef at Honeywood, has been named a semifinalist for a 2024 James Beard Award.
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Weeks, who is now at North of Bourbon in Louisville, is one of 20 semifinalists in the prestigious Emerging Chef category. Finalists will be revealed April 3 and winners will be announced at the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards ceremony June 10 in Chicago.
In 2019, Central Kentucky restaurateur Ouita Michel, herself a multiple Beard nominee, named Weeks as the executive chef at her restaurant at The Summit at Fritz Farm. She said his facility with seafood and Creole/Cajun flavors made him a great fit for the restaurant.
“Lawrence is deft with seafood, emphasizing sustainability and the Creole flavors he grew up with,” Michel said at the time. “I love his creativity, and the way his food pops with flavor. His plates tell the story of Kentucky but from a brand new and exciting perspective.”
While in Lexington, Weeks also participated in multiple SoulFeast dining events showcasing Black chefs and farmers.
Another Kentucky chef, Dallas McGarity of The Fat Lamb in Louisville, also was named a James Beard semifinalist.
McGarity’s nomination is in the Best Chef: Southeast category, which includes Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia.
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