McClure Named Beard Semifinalist for Third Time

Perhaps by now you’ve already heard the news that Chef Matt McClure over at The Hive in the 21c Museum Hotel in Bentonville has earned a semifinalist placement for the prestigious James Beard Award, (the Oscars of the restaurant world.)

This is the third year in a row McClure has received this accolade, and he’s the only Arkansas entry into the Beard Awards pool this year.

The finalist for the award, which is for “Best Chef in the South,” will be announced on March 15. In our book, McClure has already proven himself a winner. Just try his fried chicken or pimiento cheeseburger if you don’t believe us.

But it’s not just his consistently delicious food that puts him in the realm of top chef, it’s also the fact that he’s ever ready to mentor other area chefs and is always on hand to help raise up the downtown Bentonville culinary scene, not to mention the state of Arkansas in general, by volunteering his time and talent. Kudos, Chef.