The 2013 James Beard Foundation Restaurant and Chef Award Semifinalists were announced live today at 11:30 a.m. from Charleston, S.C., where there was some very good news for a few Atlanta restaurants and chefs.

Steven Satterfield of Miller Union made the cut for Best Chef Southeast.

Holeman & Finch Public House was a finalist for Outstanding Bar Program.

In the Book Awards American Cooking category, Southern cookbooks ruled, with “Fire in My Belly” by Kevin Gillespie and David Joachim (Andrews McMeel Publishing), and “Mastering the Art of Southern Cooking” by Nathalie Dupree and Cynthia Graubart (Gibbs Smith) among the three nominees.

Some major Charleston love went to Sean Brock of McCrady’s for Best Chef and The Ordinary for Best New Restaurant.

Check the complete list of nominees here:

www.jamesbeard.org/sites/default/files/static/additional/2013-jbf-nominees.pdf

— Bob Townsend, Food and More blog