The food and drink professionals behind two Johnson County establishments — one a cocktail bar and the other a high-end restaurant— have earned national distinction for their work in the industry.
They have both been named semifinalists for James Beard Foundation Awards, given out annually to distinguished food and drink industry professionals across the country.
The two Johnson County restauranteurs are:
- Jay Sanders, owner of cocktail bar Wild Child in downtown Shawnee, and
- Linda Duerr, executive chef at The Restaurant at 1900 in Mission Woods.

The two were the only Johnson County nominees in their categories
- Sanders is nominated in the “Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service” category.
- Duerr is named as a semifinalist in the “Best Chef” category for the Midwest region.
- This marked the first James Beard recognition for Shawnee-based Wild Child — though Sanders’s sister Shawnee bar, Drastic Measures, has earned semifinalist status for the award multiple times.
- The nod is also Duerr’s second time being named a semifinalist for the “Best Chef” category, having also made the short list in 2020.
James Beard finalists will be chosen later this year
- Established 35 years ago, the James Beard Foundation Awards aim to recognize “exceptional” talent in the food and drink world, as well as a “demonstrated commitment to equity, sustainability, and creating a culture where all can thrive.”
- James Beard award finalists will be announced on April 2.
- After that, the winners will be announced at the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards ceremony on June 16.
Another restaurateur with JoCo roots made the cut
- Katie Liu-Sung, owner of Taiwanese eatery Chewology, also made the semifinalist cut for the “Best Chef” category for the Midwest.
- The restaurant, known for its gyoza (dumplings) and other Taiwanese fare, got its start as a Lenexa Public Market stall in the fall of 2017.
- In 2021, the eatery left the market to move to its own space in Kansas City, Missouri’s Westport neighborhood.
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