Why Can’t Worcester’s Restaurants Get Any Respect?

Thursday, February 25, 2016

The past couple of weeks have been awards weeks in restaurants. It is a little similar to the entertainment world when the Golden Globes, Screen Actor Guilds and Oscars all get awarded in a short window.

In the world of restaurants the awards are in full bloom. Between the big awards recently announced in America about 1,000 have been recognized, but none in Worcester.

James Beard semi-finalists were announced last week and hundreds on restaurants, chefs, vineyards, staff, and owners were recognized.

In total about 20 in the Commonwealth received honors from James Beard. The impact of the award - being named a semi-finalist by James Beard — is a resume maker both for chefs and restaurants.

For Cities, awards are how the industry explodes. Once a city gets a reputation as a “restaurant” or “foodie” city it is worth tens or hundreds of millions annually in convention and tourism dollars. Conventioneers and travelers want to go to great food cities.

In Massachusetts, the vast majority of James Beard semi-finalist awards went to Boston and Cambridge.

SEE THE FULL LIST BELOW

James Beard Semi-Finalists

AAA Diamond Awards

Similarly, AAA recently released its list of those restaurants in the recognized Five and Four Diamond rated. Three Massachusetts restaurants have received AAA’s highest rating out of the 64 bestowed in North America.

Another 13 Four Diamond Awards were given in Massachusetts out of the 683 restaurants in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean.

See the the Massachusetts recipients AAA Five and Four Below

“Contemporary restaurant enthusiasts are more educated than ever about food trends, preparation techniques and ingredient sourcing,” said Mary Maguire, AAA Northeast Director of Public and Legislative Affairs. “This raises the bar for today’s top chefs who attempt to achieve perfection with each offering. These top-rated restaurants meet that challenge and give their guests a memorable dining experience.”

Even Donuts

On Wednesday, the lifestyle and food website ThrillList.com which ranks most everything in the United States, released its list of the best 33 counts in the U.S. A number of New England donut shops made the list, but none in Worcester.

Why Not

For Worcester, a city that so wants to be a great food city and boosts a number of efforts like this week’s restaurant week, the reasons may be hard to swallow.

Experts identify a number of factors that are consistent in great food cities.

First, one restaurant breaks through and puts the city on the map — in Providence it was coverage by Esquire magazine’s food critic John Mariani that launched the restaurant and the city into fame.

Today, many of the better restaurants in Worcester are locally owned chains — the founder/chef is not toiling in the kitchen every night. Worcester Restaurant Group owns multiple properties, including Via, Sole Proprietor and One Eleven Chop House - big restaurants.

Second, food cities seem to build a culture around it. It becomes a large part of both the social fabric and the economy. In some cities, hospitality are one of the top three segments of the local economy.

Third, food cities promote the industry. They advertise, they create and promote events and now, they drive through social media.

AAA Five Diamond

   Boston – L’Espalier first recognized in 1999
       Menton (2011)
   Lenox - Wheatleigh’s Dining Room (2005)

AAA Four Diamond

   Boston - Deuxave (2013)
       Mamma Maria (2005)
       Meritage (1994)
       Miel (2007)
       Mooo….(2007)
       No. 9 Park (2002)
       The Café (2005)

   Cambridge- Rialto (2004)
   Chatham- Stars (2013)
   Concord – 80 Thoreau (2014)
   East Harwich – twenty-eight Atlantic (2002)
   Nantucket – Topper’s (2006)
   New Marlborough- The Old Inn on the Green (2000)

Here, the full list of Massachusetts James Beard semi-finalist nominees:

Best New Restaurant Shepard (Cambridge)
2016 Outstanding Baker Joanne Chang (Flour Bakery + Café; Boston) Cheryl Maffei and Jonathan Stevens (Hungry Ghost Bread; Northampton)
Outstanding Bar Program Café ArtScience (Cambridge) Row 34 (Boston)
Outstanding Chef Ana Sortun (Oleana; Cambridge)
Outstanding Pastry Chef Maura Kilpatrick (Oleana; Cambridge)
Outstanding Restaurateur Garrett Harker (Eastern Standard Kitchen & Drinks, Island Creek Oyster Bar, Row 34, The Hawthorne, Branch Line; Boston)
Outstanding Service L’Espalier (Boston) Strip-T’s (Watertown)
Outstanding Wine, Beer, or Spirits Professional Jim Koch (The Boston Beer Company; Boston)
Rising Star of the Year Irene Li (Mei Mei; Boston) Marc Sheehan (Loyal Nine; Cambridge)
Best Chef: Northeast Unmi Abkin (Coco & The Cellar Bar; Easthampton) Karen Akunowicz (Myers + Chang; Boston) Cassie Piuma (Sarma; Somerville) Susan Regis, (Shepard; Cambridge) Michael Scelfo (Alden & Harlow; Cambridge) Philip Tang (Banyan Bar + Refuge; Boston)

111 Chophouse

111 Shrewsbury Street, Worcester

The thought behind 11 Chop House was to establish a Chicago Style steakhouse in Worcester. At 111 Chop House, all cuts of steak are either certified prime-grade or are in the top 10% of the choice grade.

The wine list at Chop House has also received an "Award of Excellence" from Wine Spectator every year since 2011.

Click here for their Restaurant Week menu

Photo: 111 Chophouse

Why Can’t Worcester’s Restaurants Get Any Respect?

Related Slideshow: Worcester Restaurant Week Participants - Winter 2016

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