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Tucson Chef is a 2025 James Beard Award Semifinalist

Chef Jose Contreras (middle) (Photo courtesy of Amelia's Mexican Kitchen)

Tucson Chef is a 2025 James Beard Award Semifinalist

Matt SternerMatt Sterner
Jan 22, 20251 min read
Local Food
Best Chef: SouthwestJames Beard awardJames Beard FoundationJose Contreras

This morning, the semifinalist nominees for this year’s James Beard Awards were announced and one local chef is in the spotlight!

Jose Contreras, the owner and chef of Amelia’s Mexican Kitchen, is the only Tucson semifinalist in 2025 — nominated for Best Chef: Southwest (AZ, NM, NV, OK).

Jose Contreras with his grandmother, Amelia (Photo courtesy of Amelia’s Mexican Kitchen)

Named after his beloved grandmother, Amelia, owner and chef, Contreras, infuses every dish at the restaurant with the spirit and flavors of his family’s culinary traditions. For instance, time-honored classics such as enchiladas, chilaquiles, quesabirria, and tamales, each crafted with his grandmother’s style in mind.

Contreras opened the first Amelia’s, at 5553 E. Grant Rd., which has been open for a few years, and the second location at 5851 N. Oracle Rd. (right next to Gourmet Girls) debuted about a year ago.

Street tacos at Amelia’s Mexican Kitchen (Photo by Hannah Hernandez)

The James Beard Awards are like the Oscars of the food world, celebrating the chefs, restaurants, and culinary innovators who set the standard for excellence and creativity in the kitchen.

Also, 2025 is the James Beard Awards’ 35th anniversary!

Nominees will be announced on Wednesday, April 2. Then, the winners will be announced at the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards Ceremony on Monday, June 16 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.

Amelia’s Mexican Kitchen is located at 5851 N. Oracle Rd. and 5553 E. Grant Rd. For more information, visit ameliasfood.com and follow Amelia’s on Instagram.

Article written by:

Matt Sterner

Matt Sterner

More about Matt

At a very young age, Matt Sterner was gifted with the artistic ability to masterfully roll a burrito to the highest of standards, but the wrapped medley of delicious innards wasn’t his first love. Matt’s first true love was a combination of reading, writing, and creating. He grew up reading comics, the ingredients list of his shampoo and conditioner bottles, choose-your-own-adventure books, and the Scrabble dictionary — something he found useful when challenging his grandmother to a game.

He attended college at New Mexico State University and graduated with a degree in Digital Filmmaking. One of his favorite classes was screenwriting because he became responsible for the story’s birth before it came to life on-screen. After school, Matt took on numerous positions at a local television station in Tucson. From dealing out stories about heartbreak to producing “fluffier” content for a lifestyle broadcast, he learned what it takes to adapt to the many emotions the world of media can stir. Since 2017, Matt has dabbled in the culinary world of Tucson as well as San Diego, California from time to time.

If you’re in the mood for strange stories, head over to his pride and joy, wonkytimes.com. And in case you’re curious — yes, after all of this time, he still manages to roll a killer burrito.

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