Drumroll, please: 2024’s “Oscars of the food world” just dropped. The James Beard Foundation handed out its coveted restaurant and chef awards at a star-studded ceremony at Chicago’s Lyric Opera. Presenting and hosting were heavy hitters like Hav & Mar‘s Marcus Samuelsson, CHICA‘s Lorena Garcia, and Osteria Mozza‘s Nancy Silverton.
James Beard Awards come with plenty of bragging rights and tons of clout, so you know these winners and their restaurants are going to start booking up fast. Hop on those reservations, and in the meantime, let’s congratulate all the winners below.
Outstanding Chef presented by Hilton
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.
- Michael Rafidi, Albi, 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.
- Langbaan, Portland, OR
Best New Restaurant
A restaurant opened between October 1, 2022 through September 30, 2023 that already demonstrates excellence in cuisine, seems likely to make a significant impact in years to come, and demonstrates consistent excellence in food, atmosphere, hospitality, and operations, while contributing positively to its broader community. Establishments that have opened after September 30, 2023 can be considered for the 2025 Awards.
- Dakar NOLA, New Orleans, LA
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.
- Masako Morishita, Perry’s, Washington, D.C.
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.
- Erika Whitaker and Kelly Whitaker, Id Est Hospitality Group (The Wolf’s Tailor, BRUTØ, Basta, and others), Boulder, CO
Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker
A pastry chef or baker who makes desserts, pastries, or breads. Candidate demonstrates exceptional skills and can be affiliated with any food business and does not need a brick-and-mortar presence. Candidate contributes positively to their broader community.
- Atsuko Fujimoto, Norimoto Bakery, Portland, ME
Outstanding Bakery
A baker of breads, pastries, or desserts that demonstrates consistent excellence in food, atmosphere, hospitality, and operations while contributing positively to its broader community.
- ZU Bakery, Portland, ME
Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program
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 helps inform and enhance a customer’s appreciation of the beverage(s). Ethical sourcing and positive contributions to the broader community will also be considered.
- Lula Drake Wine Parlour, Columbia, SC
Outstanding Bar
A wine bar, beer bar, cocktail bar, coffee bar, or any other business whose primary offering is beverage and that demonstrates consistent excellence in curating a selection or in the preparation of drinks, along with outstanding atmosphere, hospitality, and operations, and contributing positively to its broader community.
- Jewel of the South, New Orleans, LA
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.
- Lula Cafe, Chicago, IL
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.
Best Chef: New York State
- Charlie Mitchell, Clover Hill, Brooklyn, NY
Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic (DC, DE, MD, NJ, PA, VA)
Harley Peet, Bas Rouge, Easton, MD
Best Chef: South (AL, AR, FL, LA, MS, PR)
- Valerie Chang, Maty’s, Miami, FL
Best Chef: Northwest and Pacific (AK, HI, OR, WA)
- Gregory Gourdet, kann, Portland, OR
Best Chef: Northeast (CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT)
- David Standridge, The Shipwright’s Daughter, Mystic, CT
Best Chef: Midwest (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD, WI)
- Christina Nguyen, Hai Hai, Minneapolis, MN
Best Chef: California
- Lord Maynard Llera, Kuya Lord, Los Angeles, CA
Best Chef: Mountain (CO, ID, MT, UT, WY)
- Matt Vawter, Rootstalk, Breckenridge, CO
Best Chef: Southwest (AZ, NM, NV, OK)
- Rene Andrade, Bacanora, Phoenix, AZ
Best Chef: Southeast (GA, KY, NC, SC, TN, WV)
- Paul Smith, 1010 Bridge, Charleston, WV
Best Chef: Great Lakes (IL, IN, MI, OH)
- Hajime Sato, Sozai, Clawson, MI
Best Chef: Texas
- Ana Liz Pulido, Ana Liz Taqueria, Mission, TX
Tanay Warerkar is a content marketing manager at OpenTable, where he oversees features content and stays on top of the hottest trends and developments in the restaurant industry. He brings years of experience as a food editor and reporter having worked at the San Francisco Chronicle, Eater, and the New York Daily News, to name a few.
Stefanie Tuder has built her career on creating guides to the best restaurants and telling the most fascinating stories about the food industry. She’s worked at Eater, Cosmopolitan, Good Morning America, Food Network Magazine, and more, and she now leads editorial content at OpenTable.
