The James Beard Foundation is proud to announce the nominees for the 2020 James Beard Awards presented by Capital One. The nominees were announced today on what would have been the 30th Anniversary James Beard Awards in Chicago. Over the past few months COVID-19 has upended the restaurant community in every facet. During this time the Foundation has turned its attention to supporting the relief and rebuild efforts, postponing Awards activities to instead focus on the James Beard Foundation Food and Beverage Industry Relief Fund, which to date has disbursed more than $4 million to independent, locally owned restaurants around the country. After consultation with the chefs and restaurateurs across the country, the Foundation decided to announce the 2020 nominees and honorees, and set the dates for this year’s remaining Awards events, which recognize the work done in 2019.
The announcement was livestreamed via the Foundation’s Twitter account and co-hosted by VISIT PHILADELPHIA President and CEO Jeff Guaracino and Clare Reichenbach, CEO of the James Beard Foundation. As the original nominee announcement was set to take place in Philadelphia, the Foundation shared the virtual stage with several others from the great city, including Mayor Jim Kenney, Philadelphia’s Kalaya Thai Kitchen chef and owner, Chutatip “Nok” Suntaranon, and Jamila Robinson, 2020 Journalism Awards Committee Vice Chair and Food Editor of The Philadelphia Inquirer. David Whitaker, President & CEO of Choose Chicago, also joined virtually from the Awards’s host city of Chicago.
Nominees were announced in nearly 60 categories of the Foundation’s various awards programs, including Restaurant and Chef, Restaurant Design, and Media. A complete list of nominees can be found at the end of this release, as well as at jamesbeard.org/awards.
Additionally, the Foundation announced today that they will forego hosting a physical ceremony for the 2020 Media Awards and instead will issue a press release on Wednesday, May 27, 2020 announcing the winners. Finally, Restaurant & Chef Award winners are now slated to be announced on Friday, September 25, 2020, from Chicago and they will be broadcast live via the James Beard Foundation’s Twitter feed. Additional details on the September announcement, including format and location, are forthcoming.
“Some of the restaurants announced today are temporarily closed, some are operating in another form, such as take-out or meal relief efforts, whilst others have already announced that they will permanently close,” said Foundation CEO Clare Reichenbach. “Today we acknowledge the accomplishments of all the people behind these restaurants, and the need for everyone to fight for this industry that employs 16 million people and is a vital part of American culture.”
2020 James Beard Foundation Awards Nominees
2020 James Beard Foundation Book Awards
For cookbooks and other non-fiction food- or beverage-related books that were published in the U.S. in 2019. Winners, including the Book of the Year Award and the Cookbook Hall of Fame inductee will be announced on Wednesday, May 27, 2020.
American
Books with recipes focused on the cooking or foodways of regions or communities in the United States.
- Cook Like a Local: Flavors That Can Change How You Cook and See the World
Chris Shepherd and Kaitlyn Goalen
(Clarkson Potter) - Jubilee: Recipes from Two Centuries of African American Cooking
Toni Tipton-Martin
(Clarkson Potter) - South: Essential Recipes and New Explorations
Sean Brock
(Artisan Books)
Baking and Desserts
Books with recipes focused on breads, pastries, desserts, and other treats.
- Dappled: Baking Recipes for Fruit Lovers
Nicole Rucker
(Avery)
- Living Bread: Tradition and Innovation in Artisan Bread Making
Daniel Leader and Lauren Chattman
(Avery) - Pastry Love: A Baker’s Journal of Favorite Recipes
Joanne Chang
(Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
Beverage with Recipes
Books focused on recipes for how to make beverages.
- Last Call: Bartenders on Their Final Drink and the Wisdom and Rituals of Closing Time
Brad Thomas Parsons
(Ten Speed Press) - The Martini Cocktail: A Meditation on the World’s Greatest Drink, with Recipes
Robert Simonson
(Ten Speed Press) - The NoMad Cocktail Book
Leo Robitschek
(Ten Speed Press)
Beverage without Recipes
Beverage-focused books and guides that either don’t contain recipes or that may have minimal recipes but aren’t recipe-centric.
- The Complete Guide to Japanese Drinks: Sake, Shochu, Japanese Whisky, Beer, Wine, Cocktails and Other Beverages
Stephen Lyman and Chris Bunting
(Tuttle Publishing) - Red & White: An Unquenchable Thirst for Wine
Oz Clarke
(Little, Brown Book Group)
- World Atlas of Wine 8th Edition
Hugh Johnson and Jancis Robinson
(Mitchell Beazley)
General
Books with recipes that address a broad scope of cooking, not just a single topic, technique or region.
- All About Dinner: Simple Meals, Expert Advice
Molly Stevens
(W. W. Norton & Company) - Milk Street: The New Rules: Recipes That Will Change the Way You Cook
Christopher Kimball
(Voracious) - Where Cooking Begins: Uncomplicated Recipes to Make You a Great Cook
Carla Lalli Music
(Clarkson Potter)
Health and Special Diets
Books with recipes related to health and nutrition, or that address specific health issues, such as allergies or diabetes.
- The Beauty Chef Gut Guide: With 90+ Delicious Recipes and Weekly Meal Plans
Carla Oates
(Hardie Grant Books) - Cannelle et Vanille: Nourishing, Gluten-Free Recipes for Every Meal and Mood
Aran Goyoaga
(Sasquatch Books) - Gluten-Free Baking at Home: 102 Foolproof Recipes for Delicious Breads, Cakes, Cookies, and More
Jeffrey Larsen
(Ten Speed Press)
International
Books with recipes focused on food and cooking traditions of countries or regions outside of the United States.
- Black Sea: Dispatches and Recipes – Through Darkness and Light
Caroline Eden
(Quadrille Publishing) - Ethiopia: Recipes and Traditions from the Horn of Africa
Yohanis Gebreyesus
(Interlink Publishing) - The Food of Sichuan
Fuchsia Dunlop
(W. W. Norton & Company)
Photography
- American Sfoglino: A Master Class in Handmade Pasta
Eric Wolfinger
(Chronicle Books) - Le Corbuffet: Edible Art and Design Classics
Esther Choi
(Prestel)
- Oaxaca: Home Cooking from the Heart of Mexico
Quentin Bacon
(Abrams Books)
Reference, History, and Scholarship
Includes manuals, guides, encyclopedias, and books that present research related to food or foodways.
- Gandhi’s Search for the Perfect Diet: Eating with the World in Mind
Nico Slate
(University of Washington Press) - A South You Never Ate: Savoring Flavors and Stories from the Eastern Shore of Virginia
Bernard L. Herman
(The University of North Carolina Press) - The Whole Okra: A Seed to Stem Celebration
Chris Smith
(Chelsea Green Publishing)
Restaurant and Professional
Books written by a culinary professional or restaurant chef with recipes that may include advanced cooking techniques, use specialty ingredients, and require professional equipment. This includes culinary arts textbooks.
- Dishoom: From Bombay with Love
Shamil Thakrar, Kavi Thakrar, and Naved Nasir
(Bloomsbury Publishing) - Eleven Madison Park: The Next Chapter, Revised and Unlimited Edition
Daniel Humm
(Ten Speed Press) - The Whole Fish Cookbook: New Ways to Cook, Eat and Think
Josh Niland
(Hardie Grant Books)
Single Subject
Books with recipes focused on a single or category of ingredients, a dish, or a method of cooking – such as lobster, seafood, grains, pasta, burgers, or canning. Exceptions: baking and desserts books, vegetable-focused books, health and special diets books, restaurant and professional books, and beverage books should be entered in those respective categories.
- From the Oven to the Table: Simple Dishes That Look After Themselves
Diana Henry
(Mitchell Beazley) - Pasta Grannies: The Official Cookbook: The Secrets of Italy’s Best Home Cooks
Vicky Bennison
(Hardie Grant Books) - Sour: The Magical Element That Will Transform Your Cooking
Mark Diacono
(Quadrille Publishing)
Vegetable-Focused Cooking
Books that feature recipes for how to prepare and serve vegetables and plant-based ingredients. Books may be vegetarian, vegan, or vegetable-focused with minimal reference to meats.
- Ruffage: A Practical Guide to Vegetables
Abra Berens
(Chronicle Books) - Vegetables Illustrated: An Inspiring Guide with 700+ Kitchen-Tested Recipes
Editors at America’s Test Kitchen
(America’s Test Kitchen) - Whole Food Cooking Every Day: Transform the Way You Eat with 250 Vegetarian Recipes Free of Gluten, Dairy, and Refined Sugar
Amy Chaplin
(Artisan Books)
Writing
Narrative nonfiction books, including memoirs, culinary tourism, investigative journalism, food advocacy, and critical analysis of food and foodways for a general audience.
- Eat Like a Fish: My Adventures as a Fisherman Turned Restorative Ocean Farmer
Bren Smith
(Knopf) - Notes from a Young Black Chef: A Memoir
Kwame Onwuachi with Joshua David Stein
(Knopf)
- Women on Food: Charlotte Druckman and 115 Writers, Chefs, Critics, Television Stars, and Eaters
Charlotte Druckman
(Abrams Press)
2020 James Beard Foundation Broadcast Media Awards
For radio, television broadcasts, podcasts, webcasts, and documentaries appearing in 2019. Winners will be announced on Wednesday, May 27, 2020.
Audio Program
- The Food Programme – The Search for Esiah’s Seeds
Airs on: BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds - It Burns: The Scandal-Plagued Race to Breed the World’s Hottest Chili
Airs on: Audible - The Sporkful – When White People Say Plantation
Airs on: iTunes, Sporkful, Spotify, and Stitcher
Audio Reporting
- California Foodways – The Curious Second Life of a Prather Ranch Cow: Biomedical Research; Trans Man Finds – and Creates – Refuge in His Family’s Small-Town Cafe; Legalizing Cannabis Impacts Food, Farming in Humboldt
Reporter: Lisa Morehouse
Airs on: KQED, California Foodways, iTunes, Google Play, Radio Public, SoundCloud, and Stitcher - Food Actually – Junk Food Actually
Reporter: Tamar Adler
Airs on: Luminary - Gravy – Mahalia Jackson’s Glori-Fried Chicken
Reporter: Betsy Shepherd
Airs on: southernfoodways.org and iTunes
Documentary
- Harvest Season
Airs on: PBS - Nothing Fancy: Diana Kennedy
Airs on: Premiered at SXSW in March 2019 - That’s My Jazz
Airs on: Vimeo
Online Video, Fixed Location and/or Instructional
- Chef Studio: The Crumby Bits – Cricket Macarons
Airs on: YouTube
- Grace Young – Wok Therapist
Airs on: GraceYoung.com and YouTube - Ready Jet Cook – How to Make Pad Thai with Jet Tila
Airs on: FoodNetwork.com and YouTube
Online Video, on Location
- Eat, Drink, Share, Puerto Rico Food – El Burén de Lula
Airs on: YouTube - Handmade – How Knives Are Made for New York’s Best Restaurants; How a Ceramics Master Makes Plates for Michelin-Starred Restaurants
Airs on: Eater and YouTube
- In Real Life – Why Eating This Fish Could Save Coral Reefs
Airs on: YouTube and AJ+
Outstanding Personality/Host
- Alton Brown
Good Eats: The Return
Airs on: Food Network - David Chang
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Airs on: Netflix - Roy Choi
Broken Bread with Roy Choi
Airs on: Tastemade and KCET
Television Program, in Studio or Fixed Location
- Good Eats: The Return – American Classic: Chicken Parm
Airs on: Food Network - Lidia’s Kitchen – Trattoria Favorites
Airs on: PBS - Pati’s Mexican Table – A Local’s Tour of Culiacán
Airs on: WETA; distributed nationally by American Public Television
Television Program, on Location
- Chef’s Table – Asma Khan
Airs on: Netflix - Las Crónicas del Taco (Taco Chronicles) – Canasta
Airs on: Netflix - Street Food – Bangkok, Thailand
Airs on: Netflix
Visual and Audio Technical Excellence
- Chef’s Table
Adam Bricker, Chloe Weaver, and Will Basanta
Airs on: Netflix - Street Food
Alexander D. Paul, Matthew Chavez, and Shane Reed
Airs on: Netflix - The Taste of Place – Wild Rice
Jesse Roesler and Kevin Russell
Airs on: Vimeo
Visual Reporting (on TV or Online)
- Fork the System – Moro Food of Muslim Mindanao: This is Filipino, Too
Reporters: Joi Lee and HyoJin Park
Airs on: Al Jazeera English Digital, YouTube, and Facebook - In Real Life– Why This $300 Clam Is so Important to Native Americans and China
Reporters: AJ+ Staff
Airs on: YouTube and AJ+ - Rotten – The Avocado War
Reporters: Christine Haughney, Erin Cauchi, and Gretchen Goetz
Airs on: Netflix
2020 James Beard Foundation Journalism Awards
For articles published in English in 2019. Winners, including the Emerging Voice Award, will be announced on Wednesday, May 27, 2020.
Columns
- What She’s Having: “Popeyes’ Fried Chicken Sandwich: A Delicious Distraction, a Cultural Lesson”; “Every Season Is Soup Season”; “Why a Somali Nook in East Boston Is One of the Country’s Best New Restaurants”
Devra First
The Boston Globe - Power Rankings: “The Official Fast Food French Fry Power Rankings”; “The Official Spicy Snack Power Rankings”; “The Official Domestic Beer Power Rankings”
Lucas Kwan Peterson
Los Angeles Times - Rooted in Place: “In Service”; “Hair, Food, and Hustle”; “The Best That We’ve Got”
Rosalind Bentley
Gravy
Craig Claiborne Distinguished Restaurant Review Award
- “Le Colonial Is an Orientalist Specter”; “The Ultimate Chaat Truck Crawl”; “The Fantasy — and Reality — of Dining at Chez Panisse”
Soleil Ho
San Francisco Chronicle - “NYC’s Buzziest New Sushi Parlors Are Transcendent, If You Can Handle the Bros”; “Wall Street’s Underground Russian Spa Is a Dining Destination for the Soul”; “Estiatorio Milos Is One of the Last Big Restaurant Scams in New York”
Ryan Sutton
Eater New York - “Peter Luger Used to Sizzle. Now It Sputters.”; “The 20 Most Delicious Things at Mercado Little Spain”; “Benno, Proudly Out of Step With the Age”
Pete Wells
The New York Times
Dining and Travel
- “In Pursuit of the Perfect Pizza”
Matt Goulding
Airbnb Magazine - “Interview With the Vampiro”
Dylan James Ho
Taste - “These Are the World’s Best Restaurants: North America, South America, Africa and Middle East”
Besha Rodell
Travel + Leisure and Food & Wine
Feature Reporting
- America’s farmers in crisis during Trump’s trade wars: “Left Behind: Farmers Fight to Save Their Land in Rural Minnesota as Trade War Intensifies”; “’I’m Gonna Lose Everything’: A Farm Family Struggles to Recover after Rising Debt Pushes a Husband to Suicide”; “In Trump Country, a Season of Need on Family Farms”
Annie Gowen
The Washington Post - “The Great Land Robbery”
Vann R. Newkirk II
The Atlantic - “Value Meal”
Tad Friend
The New Yorker
Food Coverage in a General Interest Publication
- The Bitter Southerner
- Gastro Obscura
- The New Yorker
Foodways
- “An Indigenous Community in Mexico Finds Its Voice — and Strength — in Wild Mushrooms”
Michael Snyder
Los Angeles Times - “On Hawaii, the Fight for Taro’s Revival”
Ligaya Mishan
T: The New York Times Style Magazine - “A Real Hot Mess: How Grits Got Weaponized Against Cheating Men”
Cynthia R. Greenlee
MUNCHIES | Food by VICE
Health and Wellness
- “The AGEs Puzzle: How We Cook Food Is Killing Us. Scientists in SC Know Why.”; “9 Easy Ways to Eat Fewer AGEs: A Stress-Free Guide”
Tony Bartelme
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC) - “How Washington Keeps America Sick and Fat”; “Meet the Silicon Valley Investor Who Wants Washington to Figure Out What You Should Eat”
Catherine Boudreau and Helena Bottemiller Evich
Politico - “Protein Nation”
Shaun Dreisbach
EatingWell
Home Cooking
- “6 Holiday Cookies That Will Win You the Cookie Swap”
Hilary Cadigan and Rick Martinez
Bon Appétit
- “Fry Time”
Nancy Singleton Hachisu
Saveur - “In Praise of Schmaltz”
Rachel Handler
Grub Street
Innovative Storytelling
- “Best New Restaurants 2019”
Kevin Alexander, Nicole A. Taylor, and Adriana Velez
Thrillist - “Food and Loathing on the Campaign Trail”
Gary He, Matt Buchanan, and Meghan McCarron
Eater - “Made in America”
Tim Carman and Shelly Tan
The Washington Post
Investigative Reporting
- “How USDA Distorted Data to Conceal Decades of Discrimination Against Black Farmers”
Nathan Rosenberg and Bryce Wilson Stucki
The Counter - “‘The Man Who Attacked Me Works in Your Kitchen’: Victim of Serial Groper Took Justice into Her Own Hands”
Amy Brittain and Maura Judkis
The Washington Post
- “The Young Hands That Feed Us”
Karen Coates and Valeria Fernández
Pacific Standard
Jonathan Gold Local Voice Award
- “Forget Democratic Votes. Which Presidential Hopeful Will Eat 16 Iconic SC Foods First?”; “A James Island Meat-and-Two Secretly Switched to Carolina Gold Rice. Here’s What Happened.”; “In Prisons Across South Carolina, It’s Not a Birthday Without Cake Made by a Fellow Inmate”
Hanna Raskin
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC) - “In Search of Hot Beef”; “Chef Jack Riebel Is in the Fight of His Life”; “Harry Singh on the Perfect Roti, Trinidad, and Life in the Kitchen”
Dara Moskowitz Grumdahl
Mpls.St.Paul Magazine - “In a Wheelchair and Hungry”; “Where to Eat Regionally Inspired Mexican Food in New York City”; “How Sichuan Became NYC’s Dominant Chinese Cuisine”
Robert Sietsema
Eater New York
M.F.K. Fisher Distinguished Writing Award
- “A Mind to Stay Here”
Rosalind Bentley
Gravy - “My Mother’s Catfish Stew”
John T. Edge
Oxford American - “An Undeserved Gift”
Shane Mitchell
The Bitter Southerner
Personal Essay, Long Form
- “The Dysfunction of Food”
Kim Foster
Kim-Foster.com - “Love, Peace, and Taco Grease: How I Left My Abusive Husband and Found Guy Fieri”
Rax King
Catapult - “Seeking Jewish Identity at the Sabra Hummus Factory”
Orr Shtuhl
The Forward
Personal Essay, Short Form
- “For 20 Years, happy hour has seen us through work — and life”
M. Carrie Allan
The Washington Post
- “How the Starbucks Macchiato Ruined My Indie Coffee Shop Experiences”
Nicole A. Taylor
Thrillist - “In Memoriam of Hominy Grill, the Restaurant That Defined Charleston”
Ali Rosen
Plate
Profile
- “First Course”
Zoe Tennant
Granta - “The Fruit Saver”
Tejal Rao
Women on Food
(Abrams Press) - “The Provocations of Chef Tunde Wey”
Brett Martin
GQ Magazine
Wine, Spirits, and Other Beverages
- “How Climate Change Impacts Wine”
Eric Asimov
The New York Times - “May I Help You With That Wine List?”
Ray Isle
Food & Wine - “Seltzer Is Over. Mineral Water Is Forever.”
Jordan Michelman
PUNCH
2020 James Beard Foundation Outstanding Restaurant Design Awards
75 Seats and Under
For the best restaurant design or renovation in North America since January 1, 2017.
- Firms: SIMPLICITY
Project: HALL by o.d.o
- Firms: Heliotrope Architects
Project: Rupee, Seattle
- Firms: Spoonbill Watering Hole and Restaurant, Flywheel Co. and Vermillion Architects, LLC
Project: Spoonbill Watering Hole and Restaurant, Lafayette, LA
76 Seats and Over
For the best restaurant design or renovation in North America since January 1, 2017.
- Firms: Hacin + Associates
Project: Shore Leave, Boston
- Firms: Ken Fulk Inc
Project: Swan & Bar Bevy, Miami
- Firms: Klein Agency and ORA
Project: auburn, Los Angeles
Outstanding Design of Alternative Eating & Drinking Places
Eligible establishments include places where prepared food and/or beverages are served for consumption on premises (except in the case of food trucks or takeout counters) but not for markets, farm stands, food shops or groceries where ingredients are sold for preparation elsewhere. This category, added in 2019, recognizes that the nature of restaurants is changing, and food is sold and consumed in a variety of environments that do not necessarily qualify as traditional full-service restaurants.
- Firms: Lori Chemla
Project: Carissa’s the Bakery, East Hampton, NY
- Firms: Stonehill Taylor, MCR/Morse Development and Aaron Sciandra
Project: Connie, Queens, NY
- Firms: Studio Dewberry and Workstead
Project: Citrus Club, Charleston, SC
Design Icon: Chez Panisse, Berkeley, CA
2020 James Beard Foundation Restaurant and Chef Awards
Best New Restaurant
A restaurant opened in the prior calendar year that already demonstrates excellence in cuisine and hospitality, and that is likely to make a significant impact in years to come.
- Automatic Seafood & Oysters, Birmingham, AL
- Demi, Minneapolis
- Eem, Portland, OR
- Fox & the Knife, Boston
- Gado Gado, Portland, OR
- Gianna, New Orleans
- Kalaya, Philadelphia
- Nightshade, Los Angeles
- Pasjoli, Santa Monica, CA
- Verjus, San Francisco
Outstanding Baker
A pastry chef or baker who demonstrates exceptional skill, integrity, and character in the preparation of desserts, pastries, or breads served in a retail bakery. Eligible candidates must have been working as a pastry chef or baker for the past five years.
- Graison Gill, Bellegarde Bakery, New Orleans
- Zachary Golper, Bien Cuit, NYC
- Maura Kilpatrick, Sofra Bakery, Cambridge, MA
- Lisa Ludwinski, Sister Pie, Detroit
- Avery Ruzicka, Manresa Bread, Los Gatos, CA
Outstanding Bar Program
A restaurant or bar that demonstrates exceptional care and skill in the selection, preparation, and serving of cocktails, spirits, and/or beer.
- Anvil Bar & Refuge, Houston
- Expatriate, Portland, OR
- Kimball House, Decatur, GA
- Lost Lake, Chicago
- Trick Dog, San Francisco
Outstanding Chef (Presented by All-Clad Metalcrafters)
A chef who sets high culinary standards and who has served as a positive example for other food professionals. Eligible candidates must have been working as a chef for the past five years.
- David Kinch, Manresa, Los Gatos, CA
- Corey Lee, Benu, San Francisco
- Donald Link, Herbsaint, New Orleans
- Missy Robbins, Lilia, NYC
- Ana Sortun, Oleana, Cambridge, MA
- Marc Vetri, Vetri Cucina, Philadelphia
Outstanding Hospitality (Presented by American Airlines)
A restaurant in operation for five or more years that demonstrates consistency and exceptional thoughtfulness in hospitality and service.
- Brigtsen’s, New Orleans
- Canlis, Seattle
- Saison, San Francisco
- Swan Oyster Depot, San Francisco
- Zingerman’s Roadhouse, Ann Arbor, MI
Outstanding Pastry Chef (Presented by Lavazza)
A pastry chef or baker who demonstrates exceptional skill, integrity, and character in the preparation of desserts, pastries, or breads served in a restaurant. Must have been working as a pastry chef or baker for the past five years.
- Lincoln Carson, Bon Temps, Los Angeles
- Juan Contreras, Atelier Crenn, San Francisco
- Margarita Manzke, République, Los Angeles
- Diane Moua, Spoon and Stable, Minneapolis
- Natasha Pickowicz, Flora Bar, NYC
- Miro Uskokovic, Gramercy Tavern, NYC
Outstanding Restaurant (Presented by S.Pellegrino® Sparkling Natural Mineral Water)
A restaurant that demonstrates consistent excellence in food, atmosphere, service, and operations. Eligible candidates must have been in business 10 or more consecutive years.
- FIG, Charleston, SC
- Frasca Food and Wine, Boulder, CO
- Jaleo, Washington, D.C.
- Pizzeria Bianco, Phoenix
- Quince, San Francisco
Outstanding Restaurateur
A restaurateur who demonstrates creativity in entrepreneurship and integrity in restaurant operations. Eligible candidates must have been in the restaurant business for at least 10 years and they must not have been nominated for a James Beard Foundation chef award in the past five years.
- Paul Bartolotta, The Bartolotta Restaurants, Milwaukee (Ristorante Bartolotta, Harbor House, Lake Park Bistro, and others)
- Jamie Bissonnette and Ken Oringer, JK Food Group, Boston (Little Donkey, Toro, Coppa)
- JoAnn Clevenger, Upperline Restaurant, New Orleans
- Alex Raij and Eder Montero, NYC (La Vara, Saint Julivert Fisherie, Txikito)
- Jason Wang, Xi’an Famous Foods, NYC
Outstanding Wine Program
A restaurant or bar that demonstrates excellence in wine service through a carefully considered wine list and a well-informed approach to helping customers choose and drink wine.
- Bacchanal, New Orleans
- Canard, Portland, OR
- COTE, NYC
- Miller Union, Atlanta
- Night + Market Sahm, Venice, CA
- Spiaggia, Chicago
Outstanding Wine, Beer or Spirits Producer
A beer, wine, or spirits producer who demonstrates consistency and exceptional skill in his or her craft.
- Scott Blackwell and Ann Marshall, High Wire Distilling Co., Charleston, SC
- Cathy Corison, Corison Winery, St. Helena, CA
- Drew Kulsveen, Willett Distillery, Bardstown, KY
- Todd Leopold and Scott Leopold, Leopold Bros., Denver
- Lance Winters, St. George Spirits, Alameda, CA
Rising Star Chef of the Year (Presented by S.Pellegrino® Sparkling Natural Mineral Water)
A chef age 30 or younger, born on or after January 1 in the year occurring thirty years prior to the award year in which such chef is to be considered for the award (e.g., January 1, 1976 for candidates to be considered in awards year 2006), who displays exceptional talent, character, and leadership ability, and who is likely to make a significant impact in years to come.
- Will Aghajanian and Liz Johnson, The Catbird Seat, Nashville
- Irene Li, Mei Mei, Boston
- Gaby Maeda, State Bird Provisions, San Francisco
- Ashleigh Shanti, Benne on Eagle, Asheville, NC
- Paola Velez, Kith/Kin, Washington, D.C.
- Jon Yao, Kato, Los Angeles
Best Chefs (Presented by Capital One)
Chefs who set high culinary standards and also demonstrate integrity and admirable leadership skills in their respective regions. A nominee may be from any kind of dining establishment but must have been working as a chef for at least five years, with the three most recent years spent in the region.
Best Chef: California
- Jeremy Fox, Birdie G’s, Santa Monica, CA
- Brandon Jew, Mister Jiu’s, San Francisco
- Jessica Koslow, Sqirl, Los Angeles
- Mourad Lahlou, Mourad, San Francisco
- Joshua Skenes, Angler, San Francisco
- Pim Techamuanvivit, Kin Khao, San Francisco
Best Chef: Great Lakes (IL, IN, MI, OH)
- Jason Hammel, Lula Cafe, Chicago
- Gene Kato, Momotaro, Chicago
- Noah Sandoval, Oriole, Chicago
- John Shields and Karen Urie Shields, Smyth, Chicago
- Erick Williams, Virtue, Chicago
- Lee Wolen, Boka, Chicago
Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic (D.C., DE, MD, NJ, PA, VA)
- Amy Brandwein, Centrolina, Washington, D.C.
- Nicholas Elmi, Laurel, Philadelphia
- Rich Landau, Vedge, Philadelphia
- Cristina Martinez, South Philly Barbacoa, Philadelphia
- Jon Sybert, Tail Up Goat, Washington, D.C.
- Cindy Wolf, Charleston, Baltimore
Best Chef: Midwest (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD, WI)
- Steven Brown, Tilia, Minneapolis
- Michael Corvino, Corvino Supper Club & Tasting Room, Kansas City, MO
- Michael Gallina, Vicia, St. Louis
- Jamie Malone, Grand Café, Minneapolis
- Christina Nguyen, Hai Hai, Minneapolis
Best Chef: Mountain (CO, ID, MT, UT, WY)
- Carrie Baird, Bar Dough, Denver
- Jen Castle and Blake Spalding, Hell’s Backbone Grill & Farm, Boulder, UT
- Jeff Drew, Snake River Grill, Jackson, WY
- Caroline Glover, Annette, Aurora, CO
- Dana Rodriguez, Super Mega Bien, Denver
- Kelly Whitaker, The Wolf’s Tailor, Denver
Best Chef: New York State
- Sean Gray, Momofuku Ko, NYC
- Brooks Headley, Superiority Burger, NYC
- Junghyun Park, Atomix, NYC
- Daniela Soto-Innes, ATLA, NYC
- Alex Stupak, Empellón, NYC
Best Chef: Northeast (CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT)
- Vien Dobui, CÔNG TỬ BỘT, Portland, ME
- Tiffani Faison, Orfano, Boston
- Ben Jackson, Drifters Wife, Portland, ME
- Krista Kern Desjarlais, The Purple House, North Yarmouth, ME
- Greg Mitchell and Chad Conley, Palace Diner, Biddeford, ME
- Cassie Piuma, Sarma, Somerville, MA
Best Chef: Northwest & Pacific (AK, HI, OR, WA)
- Peter Cho, Han Oak, Portland, OR
- Gregory Gourdet, Departure, Portland, OR
- Chris Kajioka and Anthony Rush, Senia, Honolulu
- Katy Millard, Coquine, Portland, OR
- Kristen Murray, MÅURICE, Portland, OR
- Rachel Yang and Seif Chirchi, Joule, Seattle
Best Chef: South (AL, AR, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, FL, LA, MS)
- Jose Enrique, Jose Enrique, San Juan, PR
- Kristen Essig and Michael Stoltzfus, Coquette, New Orleans
- Michael Gulotta, Maypop, New Orleans
- Mason Hereford, Turkey and the Wolf, New Orleans
- Isaac Toups, Toups’ Meatery, New Orleans
Best Chef: Southeast (GA, KY, NC, SC, TN, WV)
- Katie Button, Cúrate, Asheville, NC
- Cassidee Dabney, The Barn at Blackberry Farm, Walland, TN
- Cheetie Kumar, Garland, Raleigh, NC
- Andy Ticer and Michael Hudman, Andrew Michael Italian Kitchen, Memphis
- Julia Sullivan, Henrietta Red, Nashville
Best Chef: Southwest (AZ, NM, NV, OK)
- Dan Krohmer, Other Mama, Las Vegas
- Jonathan Perno, Campo at Los Poblanos Historic Inn & Organic Farm, Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, NM
- Chrysa Robertson, Rancho Pinot, Scottsdale, AZ
- Silvana Salcido Esparza, Barrio Café Gran Reserva, Phoenix
- Jeff Smedstad, Elote Cafe, Sedona, AZ
- James Trees, Esther’s Kitchen, Las Vegas
Best Chef: Texas
- Kevin Fink, Emmer & Rye, Austin
- Michael Fojtasek, Olamaie, Austin
- Anita Jaisinghani, Pondicheri, Houston
- Steve McHugh, Cured, San Antonio
- Trong Nguyen, Crawfish & Noodles, Houston
2020 Leadership Award Honorees
- Phillip and Dorathy E. Barker, Co-Founders, Operation Spring Plant, Inc. (OSP)
- Rosalinda Guillen, Executive Director, Community to Community Development (C2C)
- Abiodun Henderson, Executive Director, The Come Up Project featuring Gangstas to Growers
- Mark and Kerry Marhefka, Owners, Abundant Seafood
- Caleb Zigas, Executive Director, La Cocina
Previously Announced Honorees
Humanitarian of the Year: Zero Foodprint
Lifetime Achievement: Jessica B. Harris
America’s Classics
- Lassis Inn
Little Rock, AR
Owners: Elihue Washington Jr. and Maria Washington
- Zehnder’s of Frankenmuth
Frankenmuth, MI
Owners: Al Zehnder, Susan Zehnder, and Martha Zehnder Shelton
- Puritan Backroom
Manchester, NH
Owners: Arthur Pappas, Chris Pappas, and Eric Zink
- Oriental Mart
Seattle
Owners: Mila Apostol and Joy Apostol
- El Taco de Mexico
Denver
Owner: Sasha Zanabria
- Vera’s Backyard Bar-B-Que
Brownsville, TX
Owner: Armando Vera
About the 2020 James Beard Awards Presented by Capital One
The 2020 James Beard Awards will mark the 30th anniversary of America’s most coveted and comprehensive honors for chefs, restaurants, journalists, authors, and other leaders in the food and beverage industry, celebrating culinary excellence and achievements from the previous year. Due to the devastating effects that COVID-19 has had on the food and beverage industry, this year’s Awards will look unlike any from the past. In March, the Foundation postponed both the Media and Restaurant & Chef Awards Ceremonies, and will now announce the winners of the Media Awards via a press release on Wednesday, May 27, foregoing a physical Media Awards ceremony in 2020. The Restaurant & Chef Award winners are slated to be announced on Friday, September 25, 2020, from Chicago and they will be broadcast live via the James Beard Foundation’s Twitter feed. Additional details on the September announcement, including format and location, are forthcoming.
The Foundation knows the positive impact that a James Beard Award semifinalist nod, nomination, or win can have on a restaurant or chef, and now more than ever, celebrating these professionals is paramount for our community.
The James Beard Foundation is working diligently to ensure that independent restaurant industry doesn’t only endure, but flourishes in a way that is more economically and environmentally sustainable, more inclusive, more equitable, and more delicious following the eventual resolution of the pandemic.
The Foundation has redeployed staff and redirected program support for the next 12-18 months to our Open for Good campaign to support the recovery and rebuilding of an independent restaurant industry that is stronger than ever. Emergency relief funding was the first phase of this commitment; with Open for Good, the Foundation is creating programs to help restaurants build the capacity to come back stronger, more resilient, and better prepared for the new economic, social, and cultural realities of this time. Among the components of the Open for Good campaign are workshops, trainings, expert advice, and best practices on reopening and restructuring; continued advocacy programs to support federal, state, and local legislation that benefits the independent restaurant industry; and financial support for restaurants to rebuild. The Foundation will continue to provide meaningful information disseminated via social media, newsletters, webinars, and online events, and engage with our 1 million plus audience base across platforms to bring awareness to major pandemic-related issues and advocate for the industry so we can be #OpenforGood.
The 2020 James Beard Awards are presented by Capital One, the official credit card and banking partner of the James Beard Foundation. Through this first-of-its-kind partnership, Capital One cardholders enjoy exclusive access to James Beard Foundation programming. The James Beard Awards are proudly hosted by Choose Chicago and the Illinois Restaurant Association and presented in association with Chicago O’Hare and Midway International Airports, as well as the following partners: Premier Sponsors: All-Clad Metalcrafters, American Airlines, the official airline of the James Beard Foundation, HMSHost, Lavazza, S.Pellegrino® Sparkling Natural Mineral Water; Supporting Sponsors: National Restaurant Association®, Skuna Bay Salmon, Tabasco® Sauce, Valrhona, White Claw® Hard Seltzer, Windstar Cruises, the official cruise line of the James Beard Foundation; Gala Reception Sponsors: Ecolab, Front of the House®, Kendall College, with additional support from VerTerra Dinnerware. Intersport is the Official Broadcast Partner of the 2020 James Beard Awards.
Established in 1990, the James Beard Awards recognize culinary professionals for excellence and achievement in their fields and further the Foundation’s mission to celebrate, nurture, and honor chefs and other leaders making America’s food culture more delicious, diverse, and sustainable for everyone. The first James Beard Awards were given in 1991. The James Beard Awards are governed by the volunteer Awards Committee. Each Awards program (Restaurants and Chefs, Books, Journalism, Design, Broadcast Media, and Leadership) has its own subcommittee made up of industry professionals who volunteer their time to oversee the policies, procedures, and selection of judges for their respective Awards programs. All James Beard Award winners receive a certificate and a medallion engraved with the James Beard Foundation Awards insignia.
About the James Beard Foundation
The James Beard Foundation promotes good food for good™. For more than 30 years, the James Beard Foundation has highlighted the centrality of food culture in our daily lives. Through the James Beard Awards, unique dining experiences at the James Beard House and around the country, scholarships, hands-on learning, and a variety of industry programs that educate and empower leaders in our community, the Foundation has built a platform for chefs and asserted the power of gastronomy to drive behavior, culture, and policy change around food. To that end, the Foundation has also created signature impact-oriented initiatives that include our Women’s Leadership Programs aimed at addressing the gender imbalance in the culinary industry; advocacy training through our Chefs Boot Camp for Policy and Change; and the James Beard Foundation Leadership Awards that shine a spotlight on successful change makers. The organization is committed to giving chefs and their colleagues a voice and the tools they need to make the world more sustainable, equitable, and delicious for everyone. For more information, subscribe to the digital newsletter Beard Bites and follow @beardfoundation on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
The James Beard Foundation is a national not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization based in New York City.
About Capital One
At Capital One we’re on a mission for our customers – bringing them great products, rewards, service, and access to unique and unforgettable experiences they are passionate about. Capital One is a diversified bank that offers products and services to individuals, small businesses and commercial clients. We use technology, innovation and interaction to provide consumers with products and services to meet their needs. Learn more at capitalone.com/access.
