The James Beard Foundation’s annual gala is basically the Oscars of the

The James Beard Foundation’s annual gala is basically the Oscars of the food world. (We know this because Padma Lakshmi said so on an episode of Top Chef once.) The James Beard Award is the type that’s so prestigious that it gets to preface its winners’ names for the entire remainders of their careers, which is sort of like how we all still have to say “Academy Award winner Mira Sorvino.”

The nominee short list for the 2012 ceremony was announced today and, while the current batch of names will be whittled down once more in March before the May 7 event at New York’s Lincoln Center, there are enough chefs and restaurants representing the Twin Cities on the current list to make local food fiends proud.

Perhaps most notably, the Dayton brothers’ much buzzed-about The Bachelor Farmer is up for Best New Restaurant. Elsewhere, La Belle Vie managed to score two nominations, earning one for Best Bar Program and one for head chef Tim McKee, who’s up for the prized Outstanding Chef award. Other nominees include Restaurant Alma for Outstanding Restaurant, Salty Tart Bakery’s Michelle Gayer for Outstanding Pastry Chef, Manny’s Steakhouse for Outstanding Service, Saffron’s Sameh Wadi for Rising Chef Star Of The Year, and D’Amico & Partners for Outstanding Restaurateur.

And while Minnesota’s food scene might not be big enough to earn its own category like New York’s does, seven Minnesota chefs were among the 21 nominated for the Best Chef: Midwest regional award, including Meritage’s Russell Klein, Stewart Woodman of Heidi’s, Heartland’s Lenny Russo, Piccolo’s Doug Flicker, Tilia’s Steve Brown, and Mike Brown and James Winberg of Robbinsdale’s Travail Kitchen And Amusements.

Final nominees will be announced on March 19.