Vida chef Thomas Melvin scores James Beard Awards recognition as best chef semifinalist

A local chef is among those receiving recognition from the nation's most prestigious culinary awards organization.

Thomas Melvin, executive chef of Vida, was named a semifinalist in the James Beard Awards' Best Chef in the Great Lakes region category.

Melvin was executive chef at Union 50 before joining Vida in 2017. Both restaurants are part of the Cunningham Restaurant Group.

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The Indiana native is the lone representative of the state in the restaurant and chef categories this year. The awards program is resuming after halting in 2020 to revise its policies and procedures to be more inclusive and transparent.

Melvin's competition in the Great Lakes region includes 19 other chefs from Illinois, Michigan and Ohio.

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The five nominees — or finalists for each restaurant and chef category will be announced at a live ceremony in Scottsdale, Arizona, on March 16, with winners announced during an awards presentation in Chicago on June 13.

Contact IndyStar reporter Cheryl V. Jackson at [email protected] or 317-444-6264. Follow her on Twitter: @cherylvjackson.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indianapolis restaurants: James Beard Awards recognizes Vida chef