The James Beard Foundation has released the list of nominees who may taste glory at its 2016 Restaurant Design Awards in May.

The organisation – which celebrates America's culinary heritage – will hand out awards in three categories: restaurants with 75 seats and under, those with 76 seats and over, and an honourary Design Icon Award which will be presented to the Four Seasons Restaurant in New York.

The first two awards will honour restaurant designs or renovations in North America since 1 January, 2013.

The list of nominees is as follows:

75 Seats and Under

Project: Bruno, NYCFirm: Demian Repucci Design

Designer: Demian Repucci

Project: Jon & Vinny’s, Los Angeles

Designers: Jeff Guga, Jon Shook, Vinny Dotolo, and Helen Johannesen

Project: Untitled at the Whitney Museum of American Art, NYC

Firm: Renzo Piano Building Workshop Designers: Renzo Piano Building Workshop in Collaboration with Cooper Robertson

76 Seats and Over

Project: Cherry Circle Room, ChicagoFirm: Land and Sea Dept

Designers: Mode Carpentry, Land and Sea Dept(Robert McAdams, Jon Martin, Peter Toalson, and Cody Hudson)

Project: Cindy’s Rooftop Restaurant, ChicagoFirm: Roman and Williams Buildings and Interiors

Designers: Robin Standefer and Steven Alesch

Project: Drake Devonshire Inn, Wellington, Ontario, Canada

Firm: +tongtong Designer: John Tong

The Design Icon Award – which celebrates “a national standard bearer of outstanding design and design innovation” – was given to the Four Seasons to reward the restaurant’s success in “introducing generations of diners to modern elegance and luxury.”

The James Beard Awards Gala will take place at Lyric Opera of Chicago on 2 May, 2016. During the event, which is open to the public, awards will also be given to the best restaurants and chefs of the year.

James Beard Foundation president Susan Ungaro said: “We wish the nominees in all categories the best of luck as they travel in the coming months for the awards ceremonies – we’ll see you in Chicago.”