Hopes dashed again for Georgia's James Beard nominees

The James Beard Foundation on Monday night named the winners for its coveted food, beverage and restaurant awards. Neither Linton Hopkins of Restaurant Eugene in Atlanta nor Hugh Acheson of Five and Ten in Athens took home the award. The two were nominated again this year (this is Hopkins’ second nomination and Acheson’s third) for best chef Southeast.

Chef Sean Brock of McCrady’s in Charleston, S.C., took home the prize for his innovative take on Southern farm-to-table cooking. Other nominees were Andrea Reusing of Lantern, in Chapel Hill, N.C., and Bill Smith of Crook's Corner in Chapel Hill. Acheson’s third nomination not being the charm may seem to put him in a Susan Lucci-esque category, but he’s got stiff competition: Clark Frasier and Mark Gaier of Arrows in Ogunquit, Maine, won this year (best chef Northeast) after seven nominations. It took Lucci 21 nominations before finally taking home the Emmy.