The 2012 James Beard Awards are just about six weeks away, and today the Beard Foundation announced the finalists for each of the chef and restaurant awards. Lots of names we're fond of on this list!

Check out the finalists and tell us who you'd vote for in the comments.

Best New Restaurant

AQ, San Francisco
Fiola, Washington, D.C.
Isa, NYC
Next, Chicago
Tertulia, NYC

Outstanding Bar Program

The Aviary, Chicago
Bar Agricole, San Francisco
PDT, NYC
Pegu Club, NYC
The Violet Hour, Chicago

Outstanding Chef

David Chang, Momofuku Ssäm Bar, NYC
Gary Danko, Restaurant Gary Danko, San Francisco
Daniel Humm, Eleven Madison Park, NYC
Paul Kahan, Blackbird, Chicago
Donald Link, Herbsaint, New Orleans
Nancy Silverton, Pizzeria Mozza, Los Angeles

Outstanding Pastry Chef

Joanne Chang, Flour Bakery + Cafe, Boston
Melissa Chou, Aziza, San Francisco
Hedy Goldsmith, Michael's Genuine Food & Drink, Miami
Dahlia Narvaez, Osteria Mozza, Los Angeles
Ghaya Oliveira, Boulud Sud, NYC
Mindy Segal, Mindy's HotChocolate, Chicago

Outstanding Restaurant

Balthazar, NYC
Blue Hill, NYC
Boulevard, San Francisco
Highlands Bar and Grill, Birmingham, AL
Vetri, Philadelphia

Outstanding Restaurateur

Bruce Bromberg and Eric Bromberg, Blue Ribbon Restaurants, NYC
Tom Douglas, Tom Douglas Restaurants, Seattle
Piero Selvaggio, Valentino Restaurant Group, Santa Monica, CA
Caroline Styne, Lucques/A.O.C./Tavern, Los Angeles
Phil Suarez, Suarez Restaurant Group, NYC

Outstanding Service

Cyrus, Healdsburg, CA
La Grenouille, NYC
Michael Mina, San Francisco
Spiaggia, Chicago
Topolobampo, Chicago

Outstanding Wine Program

A16, San Francisco
The Barn at Blackberry Farm, Walland, TN
Emeril's New Orleans
Frasca Food and Wine, Boulder, CO
No. 9 Park, Boston

Outstanding Wine & Spirits Professional

Sam Calagione, Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Milton, DE
Merry Edwards, Merry Edwards Winery, Sebastopol, CA
Paul Grieco, Terroir, NYC
Garrett Oliver, Brooklyn Brewery, NYC
Neal Rosenthal, Mad Rose Group, Pine Plains, NY

Rising Star Chef of the Year

Dave Beran, Next, Chicago
Danny Bowien, Mission Chinese Food, San Francisco
Thomas McNaughton, flour + water, San Francisco
Christina Tosi, Momofuku Milk Bar, NYC
Sue Zemanick, Gautreau's, New Orleans

Best Chef: Great Lakes

Michael Carlson, Schwa, Chicago
Stephanie Izard, Girl & the Goat, Chicago
Anne Kearney, Rue Dumaine, Dayton, OH
Bruce Sherman, North Pond, Chicago
Andrew Zimmerman, Sepia, Chicago

Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic

Cathal Armstrong, Restaurant Eve, Alexandria, VA
Johnny Monis, Komi, Washington, D.C.
Peter Pastan, Obelisk, Washington, D.C.
Maricel Presilla, Cucharamama, Hoboken, NJ
Vikram Sunderam, Rasika, Washington, D.C.

Best Chef: Midwest

Justin Aprahamian, Sanford, Milwaukee
Gerard Craft, Niche, St. Louis
Colby Garrelts, Bluestem, Kansas City, MO
Tory Miller, L'Etoile, Madison, WI
Lenny Russo, Heartland Restaurant & Farm Direct Market, St. Paul, MN

Best Chef: Northeast

Jamie Bissonnette, Coppa, Boston
Tim Cushman, O Ya, Boston
Gerry Hayden, The North Fork Table & Inn, Southold, NY
Matt and Kate Jennings, La Laiterie, Providence, RI
Eric Warnstedt, Hen of the Wood, Waterbury, VT

Best Chef: Northwest

Matt Dillon, Sitka & Spruce, Seattle
Jason Franey, Canlis, Seattle
Christopher Israel, Grüner, Portland, OR
Naomi Pomeroy, Beast, Portland, OR
Cathy Whims, Nostrana, Portland, OR

Best Chef: NYC

Michael Anthony, Gramercy Tavern
April Bloomfield, The Spotted Pig
Wylie Dufresne, wd~50
Mark Ladner, Del Posto
Michael White, Marea

Best Chef: Pacific

Michael Chiarello, Bottega, Yountville, CA
Chris Cosentino, Incanto, San Francisco
Christopher Kostow, The Restaurant at Meadowood, St. Helena, CA
Matt Molina, Osteria Mozza, Los Angeles
Daniel Patterson, Coi, San Francisco

Best Chef: South

Justin Devillier, La Petite Grocery, New Orleans
John Harris, Lilette, New Orleans
Chris Hastings, Hot and Hot Fish Club, Birmingham, AL
Tory McPhail, Commander's Palace, New Orleans
Alon Shaya, Domenica, New Orleans

Best Chef: Southeast

Hugh Acheson, Five and Ten, Athens, GA
Craig Deihl, Cypress, Charleston, SC
Linton Hopkins, Restaurant Eugene, Atlanta
Edward Lee, 610 Magnolia, Louisville, KY
Joseph Lenn, The Barn at Blackberry Farm, Walland, TN

Best Chef: Southwest

Bruce Auden, Biga on the Banks, San Antonio
Kevin Binkley, Binkley's Restaurant, Cave Creek, AZ
Bruno Davaillon, Mansion Restaurant at Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek, Dallas
Jennifer Jasinski, Rioja, Denver
Hugo Ortega, Hugo's, Houston
Paul Qui, Uchi, Austin, TX