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Carissa’s the Bakery is Long Island’s lone James Beard Awards semifinalist for 2025, it was announced last month.
The East Hampton favorite among locals and celebrities alike is competing in the Outstanding Bakery category, according to the James Beard Foundation.
“A baker of breads, pastries, or desserts that demonstrates consistent excellence in food, atmosphere, hospitality, and operations,” the category description reads.
“We are deeply humbled and honored to be named a semi-finalist for the [James Beard] ‘Outstanding Bakery’ award. This recognition belongs to our incredible team, whose tireless work and early mornings make everything we do possible,” the bakery wrote on social media in response.
“This nomination was an unexpected surprise, and we are so grateful to our community for the unwavering support that inspires us every day,” the post continued.
Nominees will be announced on April 2, and winners will be announced at the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards ceremony, which happens June 16 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.
Carissa’s Bakery, which now operates two locations in East Hampton and another in Sag Harbor, opened its first retail shop at 68 Newtown Lane in the village in 2017, according to reports.
Carissa’s previously won the James Beard Foundation Outstanding Restaurant Design Award in 2020.
Click here to read more about its namesake founder, Carissa Waechter, from guildhall.org.
The only other semifinalists outside of Manhattan, Brooklyn or Queens (1) were in Geneva, in the Finger Lakes (beverage), along with Buffalo, Pine Plains, which is east of Kingston, and Leeds and Hudson, which are both in the Catskills, which are all competing for the state’s best chef (full list below).
Photo: Carissa’s Bakery on Facebook
Best Chef: New York State
- Fariyal Abdullahi, Hav & Mar, New York, NY
- Nasim Alikhani, Sofreh, Brooklyn, NY
- Ayo Balogun, Dept of Culture, Brooklyn, NY
- Giovanni Cervantes, Carnitas Ramirez, New York, NY
- Chris Cipollone, Francie, Brooklyn, NY
- Suzanne Cupps, Lola’s, New York, NY
- Clare de Boer, Stissing House, Pine Plains, NY
- Aretah Ettarh, Gramercy Tavern, New York, NY
- Ryan Fernandez, Southern Junction, Buffalo, NY
- Markus Glocker, Koloman, New York, NY
- Efrén Hernández, Casa Susanna, Leeds, NY
- Eiji Ichimura, Ichimura, New York, NY
- Brian Kim, Oiji Mi, New York, NY
- Hooni Kim, Meju, Queens, NY
- Atsushi Kono, Kono, New York, NY
- Vijay Kumar, Semma, New York, NY
- Shaina Loew-Banayan, Café Mutton, Hudson, NY
- Kwame Onwuachi, Tatiana, New York, NY
- Hillary Sterling, Ci Siamo, New York, NY
- Emily Yuen, Lingo, Brooklyn, NY
