Often revered as “the Oscars of the food world,” the James Beard Awards were given out Monday night to the best chefs and restaurants in the country. This year was a diverse palette of cultures, regions, and tastes, many of which have long been overlooked when honoring culinary achievement in the United States.
The 2024 winners come from all across the globe, with winners heralding from the Philippines, Mexico, Japan, Peru, Vietnam, Senegal, and more. This year’s awards also sought recognition to restaurants in many smaller towns and areas that the James Beard Awards have not previously recognized.
With a more culturally inclusive environment and efforts to go out of their way to recognize talent outside of the usual metropolitan hubs of luxury and elegance, many of the night’s winners expressed hopes that changes within the industry will continue to improve culinary culture in the same ways.
Winner Gourdet spoke of his move to Portland, Oregon, in 2008 from New York, leaving rehab early, “broken and miserable,” and finding his purpose as a chef of Haitian cuisine and founding his restaurant Kann.
“I hope that if we can slowly continue to do the right thing that the next generation has it a little bit better than we do, and the generation after that has it even better than they did. And we can just get rid of this generational trauma that’s been affecting us and holding us hostage in our industry.”
Restaurant and Chef Awards (2024 finalists and winners):
Outstanding Restaurateur
Hamissi Mamba and Nadia Nijimbere, Baobab Fare, Detroit, MI
Quynh-Vy and Yenvy Pham, Phở Bắc Súp Shop, Phởcific Standard Time, and The Boat, Seattle, WA
Chris Viaud, Greenleaf, Ansanm, and Pavilion, Milford and Wolfeboro, NH
Hollis Wells Silverman, Eastern Point Collective (The Duck & The Peach, Méli, The Wells, and others), Washington, D.C.
WINNER: Erika Whitaker and Kelly Whitaker, ID EST (The Wolf’s Tailor, BRUTØ, Basta, and others), Boulder, CO
Outstanding Chef
Sarah Minnick, Lovely’s Fifty Fifty, Portland, OR
Dean Neff, Seabird, Wilmington, NC
WINNER: Michael Rafidi, Albi, Washington, D.C.
Renee Touponce, The Port of Call, Mystic, CT
David Uygur, Lucia, Dallas, TX
Outstanding Restaurant
The Compound, Santa Fe, NM
Convenience West, Marfa, TX
WINNER: Langbaan, Portland, OR
Mixtli, San Antonio, TX
Vestige, Ocean Springs, MS
Langbaan in Portland, Oregon, is the Outstanding Restaurant winner.
Langbaan in Portland, Oregon, is the Outstanding Restaurant winner. Christine Dong
Emerging Chef
Fariyal Abdullahi, Hav & Mar, New York, NY
Janet Becerra, Pancita, Seattle, WA
Nikko Cagalanan, Kultura, Charleston, SC
Ryan Fernandez, Southern Junction, Buffalo, NY
WINNER: Masako Morishita, Perry’s, Washington, D.C.
Best New Restaurant
Bar Bacetto, Waitsburg, WA
Barbs-B-Q, Lockhart, TX
Chez Noir, Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA
Comfort Kitchen, Dorchester, MA
WINNER: Dakar NOLA, New Orleans, LA
Hayward, McMinnville, OR
Kaya, Orlando, FL
Kisser, Nashville, TN
Oro by Nixta, Minneapolis, MN
Shan, Bozeman, MT
Outstanding Bakery
The Burque Bakehouse, Albuquerque, NM
Gusto Bread, Long Beach, CA
JinJu Patisserie, Portland, OR
Mel the Bakery, Hudson, NY
WINNER: ZU Bakery, Portland, ME
Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker
Susan Bae, Moon Rabbit, Washington, DC
Jesus Brazon and Manuel Brazon, Caracas Bakery, Doral and Miami, FL
WINNER: Atsuko Fujimoto, Norimoto Bakery, Portland, ME
Crystal Kass, Valentine, Phoenix, AZ
Anna Posey, Elske, Chicago, IL
Outstanding Hospitality
Crawford and Son, Raleigh, NC
Gemma, Dallas, TX
WINNER: Lula Cafe, Chicago, IL
Melba’s, New York, NY
Woodford Food & Beverage, Portland, ME
