Just a two months after opening, Single Thread Restaurant has been named a semi-finalist for Best New Restaurant in America by the James Beard Foundation.
The haute Healdsburg restaurant, which runs about $300 per person and can last upwards of three hours, culminates a lifetime dream of Chef Kyle Connaughton and his farmer/wife Katina. The highly anticipated restaurant was been a media darling throughout its construction and opening, considered by some food writers to be one of the most important openings of 2016.
Single Thread joins 27 other nominees for the coveted award which honors restaurants that“…opened in the calendar year before the award will be given that already displays excellence in food, beverage, and service, and that is likely to make a significant impact in years to come.” In Situ and Tartine Manufactory, both in San Francisco, have also been nominated for the Best New Restaurant award.
The James Beard Awards, named for famed culinarian James Beard, are the most prestigious awards in the food world.
Also in Sonoma County, Karen Taylor of Sonoma’s El Molino Central has been named a semi-finalist for Best Chef West. For Outstanding Wine, Spirits and Beer Professional, Vinnie Cilurzo of Russian River Brewing Company and Ted Lemon of Sebastopol’s Littorai Wines have been tapped as semi-finalists.
A smaller list of finalists will be announced in each category on March 15 in the categories of Outstanding Baker, Outstanding Bar Program, Outstanding Chef (Meadowood’s Chris Kostow is a semi-finalist), Outstanding Restaurant, Outstanding Restaurateur, Outstanding Wine Program, Rising Star Chef and Best Chef awards for other regions. Winners will be announced on Monday, May 1.
The Bay Area has more than a dozen semi-finalists up for awards, but historically, the region hasn’t been a big winner.
Here is a complete list of all semi-finalists.
I totally agree boycott single thread I worked on the job site doing all the hardwood floors and stairs when the owner Kyle,pushed for us to get the job done and promised to pay all the overtime hours Babcock Floors busted are ass for 25 days straight and for what not to get paid PAY YOUR BILLS AND THE ONES WHO YOU SAID YOU WOULD PAY I’m sure you wouldn’t let anyone eat at your restaurant who promises to pay later
I suggest any unpaid contractors and workers move quickly to recover your losses as this restaurant is unlikely to survive for long based on reports of the dining room often being half full at best. Also pursuing the building owner may be the best resort to receive compensation as ultimately the property owner Pete Seghesio is responsible for improvements done to his building unless there is a legal agreement which the contractors and workers would have to have signed absolving him of that responsibility. If you did agree to absolve him, don’t work on conditional payment ever again these Single Thread jerks work on the Donald Trump screw ’em,we win, if they can’t afford to sue us school of perverted Capitalism.
These poseurs should spend their time in paying their unpaid debts towards their working class contractors and laborers. Instead they spend their time pursing a non stop 24/7 public relations shtick promoting their twee and hideous sounding menu. BOYCOTT THE STINKY THREAD RESTAURANT!