Congratulations to James Miller of Cafe Besalu!
Miller was once again named as a semi-finalist for the prestigious James Beard Award for “Outstanding Pastry Chef.” Five finalists will be named on March 22nd. Other notable Seattle semi-finalists can be found here. Here is a list of all those named this morning (.pdf)
(Thank you chirishtribe for posting this in the forum!)
Cafe Besalu chef up for James Beard Award
![](https://www.myballard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024-My-Ballard-Tile-Ad-Troop-100.png")
AWESOME!! Best fresh pastries around!
Here, here!!
Unfortunately, like before, some art school drop out turned pastry sculptor will win. I don't want to eat Van Gogh, or Dali, I want to eat perfectly executed, always reliably wonderful pastries. Put your art on the wall and let us common folk eat the good stuff. James needs to be recognized for the passionate person and baker that he is.
Hear, hear!
The best pastries I've ever had, anywhere on the west coast. Abosolutely amazing. As long as this doesn't make Besalu even more crazy busy than it already is on the weekends (although that's part of the fun, watching people in Seattle fail to form a line), this is great news. He deserves it.
he DESERVES this!
He is an amazing Chef and a great guy. I notice that he doesn't turn over staff, has stayed true to his schedule and hasn't tried to “milk his success” by expanding his hours or lowering his standard from greatness. I have tremendous respect for this wonderful little cafe with great big deliciousness.
GO JAMES !!!
Well deserved!
Big congrats to the whole team at Besalu.
Hey Swedes,
You ought to snap a new pic of Besalu. They have done some really nice work on the outside (including an amazing locally crafted art deco sign and an awning) making the space even more inviting.
I am afraid that JB has historically favored fancier competition pastry but the fact that James has been nominated several times is maybe a sign of change. I too would love James to get the national recognition he so richly deserves. I have been on a quest to find croissant pastry as good as his and I have been disappointed.