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The James Beard Foundation recently announced its 2024 Restaurant and Chef Awards semifinalists in advance of the James Beard Awards event in Chicago. Houma native Robért LeBlanc of LeBlanc + Smith is a semifinalist in the category of Outstanding Restaurateur.
Leblanc + Smith is an investor or owner, in whole or in part, of 10 different entities, including Sylvain, The Chloe, Anna’s, Barrel Proof and The Will & The Way. Outstanding Restaurateur category is shared as “A restaurateur who uses their establishment(s) as a vehicle for building community, demonstrates creativity in entrepreneurship and integrity in restaurant operations, and is making efforts to create a sustainable work culture while contributing positively to their broader community.”
“I’m completely shocked,” shared LeBlanc of the honor. “I’m really driven by working with talented people and creating spaces to foster community through warm, engaging and fun experiences so people can create memories with friends and family that will last a lifetime. So I’ve always been driven by that. I’ve never even contemplated that we could be nominated for an award, or be a semifinalist.
“While it’s called a “restaurateur” award, it’s not an individual award; it’s an acknowledgment of the work that everyone on our team does on a daily basis. It is a team award,” said LeBlanc. “It’s also an acknowledgment of all those who have supported me personally through my life, and those who support our businesses on a daily basis.”
The full list of semifinalists can be found here.
