The James Beard Awards, often referred to as the "Oscars of the food world," were held last night at Chicago's Lyric Opera House. They recognize exceptional talent and achievement in the culinary arts across the United States. This year's ceremony highlighted a focus on diversity, both in terms of the chefs' backgrounds and the geographic locations of the winning restaurants.
Hosted by Amanda Freitag, Marcus Samuelsson, Nyesha Arrington, and Richard Blais, the event also treated guests to appearances from notable past winners like Karen Akunowicz and Elizabeth Falkner.
Big Chefs, Small Towns and Global Flavors
While major culinary heavyweights were represented in states like New York and California, 2024 belonged to cities and towns that aren't often known for being on the culinary radar. David Standridge (Shipwright's Daughter, Mystic, CT) won Best Chef: Northeast, Harley Peet (Bas Rouge, Easton, MD) took home Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic, and Paul Smith (1010 Bridge, Charleston, WV) won Best Chef: Southeast, which marked the first-ever win for West Virginia in a main category. At least one Phoenician in the audience (that's me!) was beaming with pride when Rene Andrade of Phoenix's Bacanora took home Best Chef: Southwest.
The celebration of diversity also extended to cuisine as well. Ana Liz Pulido of Ana Liz Taqueria in Mission, TX, won Best Chef: Texas. She began her acceptance speech in English but became visibly overwhelmed and delivered the rest in Spanish, culminating in a triumphant cry of "Viva Mexico!" Hajime Sato of Sozai in Clawson, MI, became the first sushi chef to win a regional best chef award for his work. Christina Nguyen of Hai Hai in Minneapolis, who won Best Chef: Midwest, thanked the audience for "recognizing the value of immigrant food."
Highlighting Culinary Heritage and Overlooked Regions
Chef Serigne Mbaye of Dakar NOLA, winner of Best New Restaurant was recognized for bringing his West African heritage to the forefront with a seven-course pescatarian menu. Outstanding Restaurant winner Langbaan (Portland, OR) was highlighted for offering a unique take on Thai cuisine using Pacific Northwest ingredients. Michael Rafidi, winner of Outstanding Chef for his Washington, D.C. restaurant Albi, dedicated his award to Palestine and highlighted the influence of his family's roots in Ramallah on his creative interpretations of Arabic cuisine. Emerging Chef Award winner Masako Morishita (Perry's, Washington, D.C.) exemplified the night's spirit, achieving her "wildest American dream" with her Japanese comfort food.
Honoring a Lifetime of Achievement
The ceremony also honored legendary restaurant critic and food editor Ruth Reichl with a Lifetime Achievement Award who spoke about the positive transformation of American food culture she's witnessed throughout her career. Speaking to the sold-out crowd, she said, "You changed the way we eat, created a delicious revolution and a world where people finally, finally understand that eating is an ethical act and that our food choices really matter. It gives me hope for the future."
Looking Forward: Sustainability, Inclusivity, and Mental Health
Peppered in between triumphant cries of success and tears of joy, winners used their time at the mic to address challenges facing the industry, including climate change, sustainability, inclusivity, and mental health.
The James Beard Foundation itself is undergoing a period of change. In 2020, the James Beard Foundation took a year off from the awards to overhaul its policies and procedures following complaints about a lack of diversity, and in 2021, implemented a Code of Ethics and established an independent Ethics Committee to review allegations of a breach of the Code of Ethics by an Award candidate.
For a complete list of last night's winners, click here.
