NEWS: Southern Junction’s Ryan Fernandez honored with Beard emerging chef nom

Two wins already: Validation for his unique cuisine, and blow struck for moving Buffalo image beyond wings

Ryan Fernandez smoking cauliflower, Chandler Street, 2022

Ryan Fernandez was driving with girlfriend Lydia Herr this morning when his phone started going off like a JiffyPop in Hell.

First with congratulations was Phil McNamara of Buffalo Resilience. “He just randomly goes, congratulations on your James Beard nomination,” Fernandez said. “I thought he was kidding. I thought it was leading up to a joke. Like, whatever and that’s funny haha.”

More texts: suppliers, friends near and far, plus “all kinds of people I haven’t talked to in a while.”

Kolaches and more specials from the deep cut ranks will make a comeback this summer on Connecticut Street.

So he turned to Herr, Southern Junction co-conspirator, and Flat 12 kitchen manager, responsible for the only borek in town.

“Is today the day they announce the Beards?” Fernandez asked.

It was, in fact, and Ryan Fernandez of Buffalo N.Y. is a semifinalist for the emerging chef category. The Beard Awards are the top national restaurant awards in the United States.

Lydia Herr, left, engaged in strategic line feeding at Southern Junction

Fernandez is a longshot for the top prize, considering the downstate-dominated list. The last Buffalo honoree, Waxlight Bar a Vin, nominated last year for its beverage program, couldn’t crack the finals either.

Lydia Herr makes beef and mushroom borek at Flat 12, 35 Chandler St.

But Fernandez, Herr, and their crew have already won two victories.

First, recognition that Southern Junction, born takeout-only until opening at 365 Connecticut St. months ago, is not your average barbecue restaurant. Texas and Kerala meet on the meat-to-vegan menu with unique savor – because Fernandez invented his own culinary genre.

Second, striking a blow for the central mission facing the Buffalo restaurant scene: getting people stoked to eat in Buffalo for reasons beyond wings, pizza, and beef on weck.

Also, Fernandez’s mother hugged him with pride, seeing what her son accomplished in this strange land with his own two hands.

So while Fernandez was the rare semifinalist with this day unmarked, it couldn’t come at a better time. Last night was the long-delayed staff holiday party, delayed until they could all join.

“We’re just five months into the new space. We just barely got done training, all the systems kind of dialed in, and we have some help now. Getting ready for the summer from some very qualified people.

This month and next month is time to really dial in all the fun stuff I’ve been wanting to do for four years.

For having not changed our menus since Chandler, running the same menu runs for two years,” he said.

It’s still sinking in.

“So that was pretty wild,” he said.