The 2023 James Beard Foundation® Restaurant and Chef Award nominees were announced on March 29, 2023 in Nasshville, TN’s Musicians Hall of Fame & Museum. The ceremony was co-hosted by Clare Reichenbach, Chief Executive Officer of the James Beard Foundation; Rose Horcher, Vice President, Client Services of Choose Chicago; Butch Spyridon, CEO of Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp plus Kris Moon, President and Chief Operating Officer and Dawn Padmore, Vice President of Awards of the James Beard Foundation. Winners will be announced at the James Beard Awards® ceremony in Chicago in June. A full list of nominees and honorees are at James Beard Foundation.
“The James Beard Awards celebrate outstanding achievement and exceptional culinary talent, as well as all those doing incredible work on behalf of our communities and wider food system. This year’s nominees, winners, and honorees are inspiring exemplars of that,” said Reichenbach, CEO, James Beard Foundation. “We congratulate all those recognized today and look forward to celebrating them at another exciting Awards Weekend in Chicago this Jun,” she said.
The 2023 Restaurant and Chef Nominees for Outstanding Chef, Outstanding Restaurant, Best New Restaurant, Outstanding Restauranteur, Emerging Chef and Best Bakery are as follows, accompanied by criteria:
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.
OPRachel Miller, Nightshade Noodle Bar, Lynn, MA
Niki Nakayama, n/naka, Los Angeles, CA
Erik Ramirez, Llama Inn, Brooklyn, NY
Rob Rubba, Oyster Oyster, Washington, D.C.
Hajime Sato, Sozai, Clawson, MI
Outstanding Restaurant
A restaurant that demonstrates consistent excellence in food, atmosphere, hospitality, and operations, while contributing positively to its broader community.
· Copine, Seattle, WA
· Coracora, West Hartford, CT
· Friday Saturday Sunday, Philadelphia, PA
· Lucia, Dallas, TX
· Mita’s, Cincinnati, OH
Best New Restaurant
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. Those establishments that have opened after September 30, 2022, can be considered for the 2024 awards.
· Causa, Washington, D.C.
· Dept of Culture, New York, NY
· Don Artemio Mexican Heritage, Fort Worth, TX
· Kann, Portland, OR
· Lupi & Iris, Milwaukee, WI
· Neng Jr.’s, Asheville, NC
· Nolia, Cincinnati, OH
· Obélix, Chicago, IL
· Restaurant Beatrice, Dallas, TX
· Tatemó, Houston, TX
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.
· Brandon Chrostowski, EDWINS Leadership and Restaurant Institute (EDWINS Leadership and Restaurant Institute, edwins too, EDWINS Bakery, and others), Cleveland, OH
· Greg Dulan, Dulan’s Soul Food Kitchen, Dulan’s on Crenshaw, and Dulanville, Los Angeles, CA
· Aaron Hoskins, Sarah Simmons, and Elie Yigo, CITY GRIT Hospitality Group (smallSUGAR, CITY GRIT, Il Focolare Pizzeria), Columbia, SC
· Yenvy and Quynh Pham, Phở Bắc Sup Shop, Phởcific Standard Time, The Boat, Seattle, WA
· 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
· Rashida Holmes, Bridgetown Roti, Los Angeles, CA
· Serigne Mbaye, Dakar NOLA, New Orleans, LA
· Charlie Mitchell, Clover Hill, Brooklyn, NY
· Amanda Shulman, Her Place Supper Club, Philadelphia, PA
