For the first time ever, a Wichita restaurant has been named a James Beard semifinalist
For the first time ever, a Wichita restaurant has been included on the list of semifinalists for the James Beard Awards — largely considered the Academy Awards of the food and beverage industry.
On Wednesday morning, the James Beard Foundation announced its 2025 list of semifinalists, and Georges French Bistro — the restaurant at 4618 E. Central that George Youssef opened in 2015 — was on it. Georges is one of 20 semifinalists nationwide in the category of Outstanding Restaurant, listed alongside restaurants from New York City, San Francisco, Chicago and Miami.
The winners will be named at a June 16 ceremony in Chicago.
Contacted on Wednesday morning, Youssef said he had not yet heard the news. At first, he expressed disbelief.
“I never think about these kinds of things, but always, in the back of my head, it’s something that I want,” he said. “It’s everybody’s dream.”
Youssef opened Georges French Bistro in 2015 and gave it a major remodel in 2017, turning it into an exact replica of a typical Parisian bistro. The menu offers simple French bistro-style dishes like escargot, mussels, steak frites, crepes, creme brulee and the like. It’s been a Wichita favorite since opening day.
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Over the years, Youssef has expanded the restaurant several times, taking over spaces in the strip center next to Georges as they become available. Last year, he added a 3,000-square-foot bakery to the west end of his restaurant so that he could produce French bread and pastries for the restaurant.
Not only is Georges the first Wichita restaurant to ever be named a James Beard semifinalist, but this year, it’s the only Kansas restaurant that even made the list, which also includes categories like Outstanding Restaurateur, Outstanding Chef, Emerging Chef and Best New Restaurant.
A few other Kansas restaurants also made the semifinalist list. The Best Chef Midwest list includes Linda Duerr of The Restaurant at 1900 in Mission Woods as well as Rozz Petrozz of Saltwell Farm Kitchen in Overbrook. John Brown’s Underground in Lawrence made the list for Outstanding Bar. And Jay Sanders of Wild Child in Shawnee is a semifinalists for Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service.
Youssef, who was born in Lebanon, immigrated to Montreal with his family when he was 10. His parents opened a Lebanese restaurant, and Youssef worked there growing up.
He got serious about the industry and enrolled in culinary school, landing a job as a sous chef in a high-class Montreal restaurant after graduation. Then, in 1998, Youssef received an invitation from his cousin, local restaurateur Melad Stephan, to come to Wichita and further his career.
He worked his way up, cooking in restaurants like Nouvelle Cafe and Uptown Bistro. He bought Nouvelle Cafe in 2006.
Youssef, who also owns Wichita restaurant Chester’s Chophouse, said he always dreamed of opening a French Bistro, though he never thought it would happen in Wichita. He feels nothing but gratitude for his adopted hometown.
“To me, it’s not about success. It’s not about money,” he said. “It’s about being here and being in the fabric of this town.”
The James Beard Awards, named for the famous American chef and cookbook author who lived from 1903 to 1985, were established in 1990, and the first awards were handed out in 1991.
See the full list of 2025 James Beard semifinalists at www.jamesbeard.org/blog/the-2025-james-beard-award-semifinalists
This story was originally published January 22, 2025 at 10:52 AM.
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