Yet again, the James Beard Awards have a Charlotte chef in its sights

A Charlotte chef has been named a James Beard Award semifinalist as one of the best chefs in the Southeast.

Robin Anthony was nominated as Best Chef: Southeast for his work as executive chef at Omakase by Prime Fish in Charlotte.

“This recognition belongs to my team — our chefs, managers, sommeliers and the entire Prime Fish team — who show up every day with discipline, humility and pride in our craft,” Anthony said in a statement to CharlotteFive.

“I am especially proud that we have put Charlotte on the national map for this level of a sushi experience, that we offer at Omakase by Prime Fish. I’m grateful to the Charlotte community for believing in our vision and allowing us to represent this city on a national stage. We’ll keep our heads down and keep cooking.”

Restaurants and chefs who move on to become nominees, who are often called finalists, will be announced Tuesday, March 31. The winners will be celebrated at the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards Ceremony on Monday, June 15 at Chicago’s Lyric Opera.

Last year, Charlotte had three James Beard Award semifinalists: Sam Diminish of Restaurant Constance and Chayil Johnson of Community Matters Cafe, both for Best Chef: Southeast; and Colleen Hughes, beverage director for the Tonidandel-Brown Restaurant Group, for Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service for her work at Supperland.

About Omakase by Prime Fish

It’s not the first time the restaurant has caught the eye of some of the world’s top food experts. Omakase by Prime Fish was also among Michelin’s picks for recommended restaurants in Charlotte, as was its sister spot, Prime Fish.

Both offer sushi, but the Omakase Experience is a high-end, reservation-only tasting menu of 10 courses at lunch for $175 per person or 15 courses at dinner for $325 per person. Supplemental courses and beverage pairings are available to add-on.

“I’m feeling surprised — feeling blessed,” Anthony told CharlotteFive, again citing the hard work of his team. “I did not expect it.”

The intimate dining opportunity offers space for four to six people per seating, with Anthony showing off his traditional Edomae-style nigiri and techniques that also highlight French and Southern influences in his appetizers and desserts, along with a few tastes from his upbringing in Indonesia. Anthony came to the United States about 12 years ago, first moving to Raleigh before settling in Charlotte.

Omakase dining is a sushi concept where the menu is left up to the chef. At Omakase Experience, its fish is flown in daily from the Toyosu Fish Market in Tokyo, and all the dishes are prepared in front of the guests.

The dishes are seasonal but tweaked daily. A protein or sauce may change from day-to-day, for example.

Right now, the winter menu offers richer, heavier sauces and fish at its most luxurious — when it’s fatty and buttery. “This is the best time to enjoy,” Anthony said.

The chawanmushi, a Japanese steamed egg custard, includes a little bit of crab and uni. And the current winter dessert on the menu — called All About the Coconut — is a treat heavily influenced by Anthony’s background. His handmade coconut ice cream is paired with black sticky rice underneath, a cookie crumble and coconut milk-flavored srikaya sauce from his hometown.

“We will still do what we do,” Anthony said. “We’re working hard to do better all the time.”

Other chefs competing in Best Chef: Southeast

Other chefs in the Best Chef: Southeast category, which covers Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia are:

• Khaled AlBanna, Calliope, Chattanooga, TN
• Noam Bilitzer, MeeshMeesh, Louisville, KY
• Joe Cash, Scoundrel, Greenville, SC — a one-Star Michelin restaurant
• Matt Dawes, The Bull and Beggar, Asheville, NC
• Steven Devereaux Greene, Herons at The Umstead, Cary, NC — a Michelin-recommended restaurant
• Mary Ellen Diaz, Alma Bea, Shepherdstown, WV
• Laurence Faber, Potchke Deli, Knoxville, TN
• Carlo Gan and Mia Orino, Kamayan ATL, Chamblee, GA — a Michelin-recommended restaurant
• Jimmy Gentry, The Lobbyist, Memphis, TN
• J. Trent Harris, Mujō, Atlanta, GA — a one-Star Michelin restaurant
• Philip Krajeck, Rolf & Daughters, Nashville, TN — a Michelin-recommended restaurant
• Cheetie Kumar, Ajja, Raleigh, NC
• Colin Marcelli, Renzo, Charleston, SC
• Freddy Money, Atlas, Atlanta, GA — a one-Star Michelin restaurant
• Taylor Montgomery, Montgomery Sky Farm, Leicester, NC
• Bintou N’Daw, Bintü Atelier, Charleston, SC
• Todd Schafer, Abel Brown, Augusta, GA
• Heidi Vukov, Hook & Barrel, Myrtle Beach, SC
• David Willocks, The Baker’s Table, Newport, KY

Other honors for NC, SC chefs

North Carolina chefs Meherwan Irani and Molly Irani of Chai Pani Restaurant Group in Asheville were named semifinalists for Outstanding Restaurateur. The Chai Pani Restaurant Group includes Chai Pani and Botiwalla, which has a location in Charlotte at Optimist Hall.

Other notable recognitions in the Carolinas are:

• Dean Neff of Seabird in Wilmington is among the semifinalists for Outstanding Chef.
• Charleston’s Chubby Fish was named a semifinalist for Outstanding Restaurant, and Hector Garate of Palmira Barbecue in Charleston is a semifinalist for Emerging Chef.
• Best New Restaurant semifinalists from the Carolinas were Merci in Charleston and Peregrine in Raleigh.
• Weltons Tiny Bakeshop in Charleston is a semifinalist for Outstanding Bakery.
• Stems and Skins in Charleston was recognized as a semifinalist for Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program, while Graft Wine Shop & Wine Bar in Charleston got a nod for Outstanding Bar.
• Andrea Ciavardini-Royko of Jianna in Greenville, SC, was named a semifinalist for Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service.

Location: 2907 Providence Rd STE 101, Charlotte, NC 28211

Cuisine: Omakase sushi

Instagram: @omakasebyprimefish

This story was originally published January 21, 2026 at 10:30 AM.