Photo Credit: Jeff Schear/Getty Images for The James Beard Foundation
The James Beard Foundation announced the winners of the 2023 James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards on Monday night, honoring excellence across the culinary industry, from fine dining to casual gems in our communities, while also supporting and encouraging a more sustainable industry.
During a live ceremony at the Lyric Opera of Chicago co-hosted by Eric Adjepong, chef, author, and host of Alex vs America; Esther Choi, chef and owner of mŏkbar and ms.yoo; Gail Simmons, author, producer, and Top Chef judge; and Andrew Zimmern, James Beard Award winner, TV personality, chef, writer, and social justice advocate. Approximately 1,500 guests were in attendance.
Additional presenters included Mashama Bailey, James Beard Award–winning chef and restaurateur, The Grey; Chris Bianco, James Beard Award-winning chef and restaurateur, Pizzeria Bianco; Monti Carlo, TV personality, food writer, and host of the Food Network’s Help My Yelp; Sarah Grueneberg, James Beard Award-winning chef and restaurateur, Monteverde; Tahiirah Habibi, sommelier, founder of The Hue Society, and James Beard Awards Committee member; Carla Hall, cookbook author, chef, and TV personality; Tanya Holland, chef, author, James Beard Foundation trustee, and Awards Committee Chair; and Erick Williams, James Beard Award-winning chef, and restaurateur, Virtue Restaurant; among others.
Photo Credit: Getty Images for The James Beard Foundation
The 2023 Restaurant and Chef Award Winners are:
Outstanding Chef
A chef who sets high culinary standards and has served as a positive example for other food professionals, while contributing positively to their broader community.
· Rob Rubba, Oyster Oyster, Washington, D.C.
Outstanding Restaurant Presented by Acqua Panna® Natural Spring Water
A restaurant that demonstrates consistent excellence in food, atmosphere, hospitality, and operations, while contributing positively to its broader community.
· Friday Saturday Sunday, Philadelphia, PA
Best New Restaurant Presented by BentoBox
A restaurant opened between January 1 through September 30, 2022, that already demonstrates excellence in cuisine, atmosphere, hospitality, and operations, while contributing positively to its broader community, and seems likely to make a significant impact in years to come.
· Kann, Portland, OR
Outstanding Restaurateur
A restaurateur who uses their establishment(s) as a vehicle for building community, demonstrates creativity in entrepreneurship and integrity in restaurant operations, and is making efforts to create a sustainable work culture, while contributing positively to their broader community.
· Ellen Yin, High Street Hospitality Group (Fork, a.kitchen + bar, High Street, and others), Philadelphia, PA
Emerging Chef Presented by S.Pellegrino® Sparkling Mineral Water
A chef who displays exceptional talent, character, and leadership ability, and who is likely to make a significant impact in years to come, while contributing positively to their broader community.
· Damarr Brown, Virtue, Chicago, IL
Outstanding Bakery Presented by Guinness
New in 2023, this category recognizes a baker of breads, pastries, or desserts that demonstrates consistent excellence in food, atmosphere, hospitality, and operations, while contributing positively to its broader community.
· Yoli Tortilleria, Kansas City, MO
Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker
The former Outstanding Pastry Chef and Outstanding Baker categories have been combined into one, Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker. This category recognizes a pastry chef or baker who makes desserts, pastries, or breads. Candidate demonstrates exceptional skills, can be affiliated with any food business and does not need a brick-and-mortar presence, and contributes positively to their broader community.
· Margarita Manzke, République, Los Angeles, CA
Outstanding Hospitality Presented by American Airlines
A restaurant, bar, or other food and drinking establishment that fosters a sense of hospitality among its customers and staff, that serves as a beacon for the community, and demonstrates consistent excellence in food, atmosphere, hospitality, and operations, while contributing positively to its broader community.
· The Quarry, Monson, ME
Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program
Expanded from Outstanding Wine Program this year to include other beverages, this award is presented to a restaurant that demonstrates exceptional care and skill in the pairing of wine and other beverages with food, while contributing positively to its broader community. This includes the selection, preparation, and serving of wine, cocktails, spirits, coffee, tea, beer or any other beverage with outstanding hospitality and service that help inform and enhance a customer’s appreciation of the beverage(s). Ethical sourcing is considered.
· OTOTO, Los Angeles, CA
Outstanding Bar Presented by Hilton
Expanded to include wine and other beverages, this award is presented to a wine bar, beer bar, cocktail bar, coffee bar, or any other business whose primary offering is beverage. Those recognized demonstrate consistent excellence in curating a selection or in the preparation of drinks, along with outstanding atmosphere, hospitality, and operations, while contributing positively to its broader community.
· Bar Leather Apron, Honolulu, HI
Best Chefs Presented by Capital One (by region)
Chefs who set high standards in their culinary skills and leadership abilities, and who are making efforts to help create a sustainable work culture in their respective regions, while contributing positively to their broader community.
Photo Credit: Getty Images for The James Beard Foundation
Best Chef: California
· Justin Pichetrungsi, Anajak Thai, Sherman Oaks, CA
Best Chef: Great Lakes (IL, IN, MI, OH)
·c, Kasama, Chicago, IL
Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic (DC, DE, MD, NJ, PA, VA)
· Chutatip “Nok” Suntaranon, Kalaya, Philadelphia, PA
Best Chef: Midwest (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD, WI)
· Itaru Nagano and Andrew Kroeger, Fairchild, Madison, WI
Best Chef: Mountain (CO, ID, MT, UT, WY)
· Kris Komori, KIN, Boise, ID
Best Chef: New York State
· Junghyun Park, Atomix, New York, NY
Best Chef: Northeast (CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT)
· Sherry Pocknett, Sly Fox Den Too, Charlestown, RI
Best Chef: Northwest & Pacific (AK, HI, OR, WA)
· Vince Nguyen, Berlu, Portland, OR
Best Chef: South (AL, AR, FL, LA, MS, PR)
· Natalia Vallejo, Cocina al Fondo, San Juan, PR
Best Chef: Southeast (GA, KY, NC, SC, TN, WV)
· Terry Koval, The Deer and the Dove, Decatur, GA
Best Chef: Southwest (AZ, NM, NV, OK)
· Andrew Black, Grey Sweater, Oklahoma City, OK
Best Chef: Texas
· Benchawan Jabthong Painter, Street to Kitchen, Houston, TX
Photo Credit: Getty Images for The James Beard Foundation
Previously Announced Winners
Previously announced winners of the James Beard Achievement Awards, as well as the Restaurant and Chef America’s Classics Awards, were also celebrated on stage.
Humanitarian of the Year: Olivia Watkins and Karen Washington, co-founders of the Black Farmer Fund. Watkins and Washington created the Black Farmer Fund in 2017 with the mission of nurturing Black community wealth and health by investing in Black agricultural systems in the Northeast. For the nonprofit organization’s Pilot Fund, they have raised over $1 million to distribute as loans and grants for Black agricultural businesses.
Michael Phillips, president of Jamestown Properties and a James Beard Foundation trustee, has established the Michael Phillips Humanitarian Fund at the James Beard Foundation, which will grant an annual cash award of $20,000 to the Humanitarian of the Year.
Lifetime Achievement: Madhur Jaffrey CBE, cookbook author, writer, teacher, and actress. Jaffrey first captured attention as an actress in the film Shakespeare Wallah, winning the Silver Bear for Best Actress at the Berlin Film Festival in 1965. Her first cookbook, An Invitation to Indian Cooking, was published in 1973, and was inducted into the James Beard Foundation’s Cookbook Hall of Fame in 2006. She has since released more than 30 award-winning cookbooks, cementing her status as the “Godmother of Indian Cooking.”
Read more about Olivia Watkins, Karen Washington, and Madhur Jaffrey here.
Restaurant and Chef America’s Classics Award Winners:
Each year, this committee-chosen Award recognizes establishments in six of the twelve Restaurant and Chef Award regions. Find out more about this year’s America’s Classics honorees here.
● Joe’s Bakery & Coffee Shop, Austin, Texas; Owner: Paula Avila
● La Casita Blanca, San Juan, Puerto Rico; Owners: Jesús Pérez Ruiz (deceased), Mildred De León, Leonardo Pérez De León, Jesús Pérez De León
● Manago Hotel, Captain Cook, Hawai‘i; Owners: Britney and Taryn Manago
● Nezinscot Farm, Turner, Maine; Owner: Gloria and Gregg Varney
● Pekin Noodle Parlor, Butte, Montana; Owner: Jerry Tam
● Wagner’s Village Inn, Oldenburg, Indiana; Owner: Dan Saccomando
A post-Awards celebration immediately followed the ceremony at Chicago’s Union Station, featuring tastings and beverages from incredible chefs and partners from around the country. Representing an impressive range of locations and cuisines, the chefs included Saibeen Acord, Saibeen’s Kitchen (Great Falls, MT); Omar Anani, Saffron De Twah (Detroit, MI); Tiffany Derry, Roots Southern Table (Farmers Branch, TX); Brandon Jew, Mister Jiu’s (San Francisco, CA); Kevin Kelly and Kevin Cavanaugh, J&L Catering (Chicago, IL); Kate Lasky and Tomasz Skowronski, Apteka (Pittsburgh, PA); Macarena Ludena, Coracora (West Hartford, CT); Niven Patel, Ghee Indian Kitchen (Miami, FL); Minh Phan, PHENAKITE (Los Angeles, CA); Angie Rito and Scott Tacinelli, Don Angie (New York, NY); John Shields and Karen Urie Shields, Smyth (Chicago, IL); Sheldon Simeon, Tiffany’s Restaurant & Bar (Wailuku, HI); Dale Talde, Goosefeather (Tarrytown, NY); Chris Viaud, Ansanm (Milford, NH); Crystal Wahpepah, Wahpepah’s Kitchen (Oakland, CA); Mailea Weger and Mike Kida, lou (Nashville, TN); Brother Luck, Four by Brother Luck (Colorado Springs, CO); Jeffrey Steelman, Wicker Park Seafood & Sushi Bar (Chicago, IL); Timon Balloo, The Katherine (Fort Lauderdale, FL); and Floriole Bakery (Chicago, IL).
Photo Credit: Getty Images for The James Beard Foundation
