by Kristen Wile

Oscar Johnson and Daryl Cooper of Jimmy Pearls at the UPPY Awards. Daniel Coston/UP

Editor’s note: Jimmy Pearls has set the date of their final service in The Market at 7th Street for March 24. 

Following the news that its chefs/owners earned a spot among the James Beard Award semifinalists for Best Chef: Southeast, Jimmy Pearls is extending its stay at The Market at 7th Street in Uptown. Owners Daryl Cooper and Oscar Johnson told Unpretentious Palate in December that they would wrap up their tenure at The Market at the end of January. However, just days before what was meant to be their last day of service, the James Beard Foundation announced its 2024 Award semifinalists — with both chefs’ names on the list.

Facing a significant jump in customers eager to check out their restaurant and the possibility of advancing in the awards, the chefs decided to push back their last day at the market. In order to narrow the semifinalist list down to a list of finalists, judges will visit chefs’ restaurants — meaning without changing that date, Jimmy Pearls’ chefs would likely not advance, as judges would be unable to experience their food.

“We have James Beard people visiting us at any given time, and that experience will be factored in to the judging for finals, which will be announced on April 3,” Johnson says. “So, Coop and I came together to make this decision to stay for an extended amount of time.”

Due to a prior commitment, they will be closed the first weekend in February, but plan to remain open at the market until sometime in March. Hours of operation will be Thursday through Saturday from noon to 8 p.m., and Sundays from 4 to 8 p.m. The list of James Beard Award Nominees will be announced in April, with the winners being honored live in June.

Cooper calls the decision to stay longer in their current space bittersweet, as their decision to leave was based on a mismatch between consumer expectations and the level of high quality — thus cost — they pride themselves on, which led them to seek their own standalone space. Following the award announcements, though, diners have been seeking them out.

“The true reason why we’re staying at the market is to ride this whole James Beard Award wave,” he says. “And of course if you’re going to ride a wave, you’re going to need a surfboard. So the market is the surfboard that we’re riding. People are going to have to know where they can actually find our food.”

Cooper and Johnson were Charlotte’s only chefs recognized in this year’s awards, though North Carolina had a strong showing.

“We just want to congratulate everybody sincerely,” Johnson says. “This is not just a flip of a coin situation, and we recognize that. We are fans of a lot of these people who have been nominated, and we just want to extend the congratulations to them as well. All the people in Charlotte who are doing amazing work; farmers, writers — same thing. We love our community, we just want to let everybody know that. We’re just happy to be a part of it.”