The James Beard Foundation presented its annual culinary awards for 2023 in Chicago, with Rob Rubba of Oyster Oyster in Washington, D.C., receiving the award for outstanding chef and for Friday Saturday Sunday in Philadelphia named as outstanding restaurant.
The event showcased the growing influence of the awards, with Mayor Brandon Johnson of Chicago and Governor J.B. Pritzker of Illinois making live appearances on stage. Secretary of State Antony Blinken also praised the soft power of culinary diplomacy in a video message, citing the success of award-winning chef Edward Lee’s Maryland crab cakes with gochujang vinaigrette at a recent state dinner.
The awards ceremony took place amidst recent controversies surrounding the James Beard Foundation. In response to concerns about diversity and abuse allegations against some finalists, a new voting system was implemented last year. The revamped process now emphasizes not only culinary excellence but also equity, leadership, sustainability, and community-building.
The foundation also established a public tip line and conducted inquiries into finalists based on recent allegations. Despite these challenges, Tanya Holland, the chef and writer who leads the awards program, stated that the new system is functioning as intended. The 2023 finalists, selected by approximately 240 judges, represented diversity across regions, cuisines, and categories. Among this year’s roughly 30 winners, 25 are people of color.
Unfortunately, the specific winners in each category were not provided in the information provided.
Here are the winners:
National Awards
Outstanding Restaurant
Friday Saturday Sunday, Philadelphia
Outstanding Restaurateur
Ellen Yin, High Street Hospitality Group (Fork, a.kitchen + bar, High Street Philly, and others), Philadelphia
Outstanding Chef
Rob Rubba, Oyster Oyster, Washington, D.C.
Emerging Chef
Damarr Brown, Virtue, Chicago
Best New Restaurant
Kann, Portland, Ore.
Outstanding Hospitality
The Quarry, Monson, Maine
Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program
Ototo, Los Angeles
Outstanding Bar
Bar Leather Apron, Honolulu
Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker
Margarita Manzke, République, Los Angeles
Outstanding Bakery
Yoli Tortilleria, Kansas City, Mo.
Regional Awards
Best Chef: New York State
Junghyun Park, Atomix, Manhattan
Best Chef: Great Lakes (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio)
Tim Flores and Genie Kwon, Kasama, Chicago
Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic (Washington, D.C., Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia)
Chutatip Suntaranon, Kalaya, Philadelphia
Best Chef: Midwest (Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin)
Itaru Nagano and Andrew Kroeger, Fairchild, Madison, Wis.
Best Chef: Mountain (Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Utah, Wyoming)
Kris Komori, KIN, Boise, Idaho
Best Chef: California
Justin Pichetrungsi, Anajak Thai, Sherman Oaks, Calif.
Best Chef: Northeast (Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont)
Sherry Pocknett, Sly Fox Den Too, Charlestown, R.I.
Best Chef: Northwest and Pacific (Alaska, Hawaii, Oregon, Washington)
Vince Nguyen, Berlu, Portland, Ore.
Best Chef: Southeast (Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, West Virginia.)
Terry Koval, the Deer and the Dove, Decatur, Ga.
Best Chef: South (Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Puerto Rico)
Natalia Vallejo, Cocina al Fondo, San Juan, P.R.
Best Chef: Southwest (Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Oklahoma)
Andrew Black, Grey Sweater, Oklahoma City
Best Chef: Texas
Benchawan Jabthong Painter, Street to Kitchen, Houston
