Did you hear that? Utter radio silence.

Y&H expected a cacophony of food blog and board commentary today following the announcement of the 2009 James Beard Awards for restaurants and chefs.  But after the D.C. area got the cold shoulder last night at the Beard ceremony in the Big Apple, there has been little hand-wringing about the snubs, aside from an implication of favoritism among judges (Don Rockwell), an honor-to-be-nominated pep talk (Michael Birchenall), and a straight-forward, just-the-facts-ma’am report (the Post’s Joe Yonan, an award-winner himself this year).

What’s missing? Arguments, fussing, and outraged commentary about the New York-orientation of this year’s winners. However, if you study the 2009 winners, particularly national categories in which nominees come from all parts of the country, you’ll find that New York chefs and restaurants won 8 out of 9 times.

WTF? I mean, WTF?

OK, yes, everyone who follows food in this country understands that NYC is still the epicenter of the known universe when it comes to dining. Just ask a New Yorker — or even someone who just writes for a New York publication — and they’ll tell you.

This year’s winners got me to thinking about the process behind the voting. On the foundation’s Awards Policies and Procedures page, you can find this explanation under the Restaurant and Chef Awards:

Anyone can submit a chef or restaurant for consideration during the online open call for entries in the fall. (There is no entry fee.) Entries are tabulated by the independent accounting firm Lutz & Carr, and based on the results, the Restaurant and Chef Awards Committee produces a nominating ballot with up to 20 semifinalists in each category. This ballot is distributed online to more than 400 judges, who select the five official nominees in each category. The same judges then vote on these five nominees to choose the winners.

The judges include previous Restaurant and Chef Award winners, the Restaurant and Chef Awards Committee, 25 leading regional restaurant critics, food and wine editors, and culinary educators in each of the 10 regions. There are more than 400 judges nationwide.

In each category, the judges are looking for individuals whose contribution to their field is unique and long-lasting. The specific criteria change depending on the category…

How many of these 400 judges, you have to wonder, are based in New York City? Given that the panel includes previous winners and “food and wine editors,” you have to think that a good percentage of them are. I called the Beard Foundation’s PR folks to see if they could track down the list of judges, so that I could determine any NYC biases. I’m still waiting on that list and, if I get it, I’ll pass along any findings.

As of right now, however, color me skeptical. I mean, if the majority of them are based in New York, then how often do they travel to cities outside of NYC to taste the food of the other nominees? Once? (If so, what if that one meal happens to be a dud, which happens even at the best of ‘em.) More then once? (If so, who’s footing the bill for all this travel and dining?) None? (If so, who the hell should care about these awards?)

So many questions, so few answers.

Technically, I guess you could say that Andrés, aside from nods for best new restaurant, outstanding chef, and web/radio, shared a fourth nomination, too. His boffo new Los Angeles restaurant, The Bazaar, also earned one for best design.

The Post’s Tom Sietsema racked up a pair of nominations, one for his Sunday magazine feature about noisy dining rooms and one for his restaurant criticism. Sietsema submitted three reviews to earn the latter nomination: Great Expectations (3/2/2008), Robo Restaurant (6/1/2008), and An Earned Exclamation (7/20/2008). In the review category, Sietsema will be competing against Adam Platt from New York magazine and LA Weekly’s Jonathan Gold, who won a Pulitzer Prize for his criticism in 2007.

“I’m humbled by the nominees in the criticism category in particular,” e-mailed Sietsema, who’s been nominated twice before. “I mean, Johnathan Gold [sic] was the first food writer to win a Pulitzer for his reviews! And I love Platt’s prose in New York magazine. Most of all, I was pleased to see all the Washington chef talent on the Beard list. Those guys all work very hard and deserve the kudos that have come their way.”

The Post also earned a nomination in the food section category. It’s the first nod for editor Joe Yonan.

Three local toques were nominated in the Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic category—Cathal Armstrong (Restaurant Eve, The Majestic, and Eamonn’s a Dublin Chipper), Peter Pastan (Obelisk and 2Amys), and Vikram Sunderam (Rasika).

Sunderam’s nod represents the first time a chef in Ashok Bajaj’s restaurant empire (Bombay Club, 701, Ardeo/Bardeo, and Oval Room) has been nominated for a Beard award. The owner naturally was thrilled with the news, though he says he and his chef won’t be celebrating tonight. “Maybe on the weekend, absolutely,” Bajaj says.

Does Bajaj think Sunderam can win the category? “Making a short list is fine,” he says. “For me, that’s as good as winning.”

And lastly, Komi’s Johnny Monis was nominated as a Rising Star, though Y&H thinks he may need to move to the Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic category soon. He’s hardly rising anymore. He’s arrived.

Y&H offers his congratulations to all the local nominees.

Winners will be announced May 3 and 4 in New York City. The full list of nominees can be found on the Beard Awards Web site. Below are the list of local nominees and what categories they are nominated in:

• The Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic nominees are: Cathal Armstrong, Jose Garces, Peter Pastan, Maricel Presilla, and Vikram Sunderam
• The Rising Star: Nate Appleman, Sean Brock, Johnny Monis, Gabriel Rucker, Michael Solomonov, and Sue Zemanick
• Best New Restaurant: The Bazaar by José Andrés, Corton, L2O, Momofuku Ko, and Scarpetta
• Nominees for Outstanding Chef: José Andrés, Dan Barber, Tom Colicchio, Suzanne Goin, and Paul Kahan
• Newspaper feature about restaurants and/or chefs: Monica Eng/Phil Vettel (Chicago Tribune), Katy McLaughlin (Wall Street Journal), Tom Sietsema (Washington Post)
• Newspaper food section: Chicago Tribune, San Francisco Chronicle, and Washington Post
• Restaurant reviews: Jonathan Gold (LA Weekly), Adam Platt (New York magazine), and Tom Sietsema (Washington Post)
• Web/Radio: Living Today (MSL Radio): José Andrés; Graperadio.com: Thomas Jefferson & Wine; Leonard Lopate (WNYC): 3-Ingredient Challenge
• Restaurant design: Thomas Schlesser (Publican), Thomas Schlesser (Bar Boulud),and Philippe Starck/Bruno Barrione/Theresa Fatino (The Bazaar)

It’s a bit early to get too pump over this list, which was whittled down from more than 15,000 entries. At present, many of the categories boast 20 or more semi-finalists, but by March 23, each will be pared down to five. The winners will be honored on May 4 at the Lincoln Center in New York City.

With that said, D.C. was well represented among the semi-finalists. Young & Hungry sends out a hearty congratulations for those local chefs and restaurants that made the cut. They include:

OUTSTANDING RESTAURATEUR

Ashok Bajaj, The Oval Room, The Bombay Club, Ardeo, Bardeo, 701, and Rasika.

OUTSTANDING CHEF

José Andrés, Minibar

OUTSTANDING RESTAURANT

Kinkead’s

Vidalia

BEST NEW RESTAURANT

The Bazaar by José Andrés at SLS Hotel at Beverly Hills, Los Angeles

Cork

Volt

RISING STAR CHEF OF THE YEAR

Johnny Monis, Komi

OUTSTANDING WINE AND SPIRITS PROFESSIONAL

Todd Thrasher, Restaurant Eve

BEST CHEF: MID-ATLANTIC

Cathal Armstrong, Restaurant Eve

Anthony Chittum, Vermilion

Haidar Karoum, Proof

Peter Pastan, Obelisk

Tom Power, Corduroy

Vikram Sunderam, Rasika

Cindy Wolf, Charleston, Baltimore

Photo by Darrow Montgomery

Well, false alarm. Elizabeth Carp, marketing manager at the Mandarin Oriental, says it’s all quiet on the southwestern front at the hotel. No fire, no smoke, no nothing. A D.C. Fire Department spokesman confirms Carp’s information. There’s no report of a fire this morning at the Mandarin or even nearby.

As you were.