NEW YORK — The James Beard Foundation® has announced highlights from the 2023 James Beard Awards® presented by Capital One.
The celebratory weekend kicked off on Saturday, June 3, with the James Beard Foundation Media Awards ceremony hosted by Pati Jinich, James Beard Award-winning chef, author, and host of La Frontera with Pati Jinich and Pati’s Mexican Table. The Media Awards honored the nation’s top cookbook authors, food and beverage broadcast producers, hosts, podcasters, and food journalists. The ceremony, open to the public, took place on the campus of Columbia College Chicago. More information on this year’s Media Awards and winners can be found here.
Festivities continued Sunday, June 4, with the Leadership Awards ceremony and luncheon hosted by Dr. Jessica B. Harris, author, culinary historian, journalist, and author of High on the Hog: A Culinary Journey from Africa to America, inspiration for the Netflix Original Series. Dr. Harris—a James Beard Lifetime Achievement Award honoree and Cookbook Hall of Fame and Book Award winner—joined other thought leaders at The Dalcy in Chicago to recognize honorees who are creating a healthier, safer, more equitable, and sustainable food system. This year’s Leadership Award winners can be found here.
Eric Adjepong, chef, author, and host of Alex vs America; Esther Choi, chef and owner of mŏkbar and ms.yoo; Gail Simmons, author, producer, and Top Chef judge; and Andrew Zimmern, James Beard Award winner, TV personality, chef, writer, and social justice advocate, teamed up to co-host the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards ceremony on Monday, June 5 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. During the event, which was open to the public, awards were presented for the Restaurant and Chef categories, along with the Humanitarian of the Year and Lifetime Achievement awards. The 2023 Restaurant and Chef Award winners can be found here. A post-Awards celebration immediately following the ceremony at Chicago’s Union Station featured tastings and beverages from chefs around the country.
“The James Beard Awards are not only a moment to celebrate culinary excellence, but a chance to uplift the independent restaurant industry and recognize all those—from chefs to restaurateurs to journalists to authors to activists—who work tirelessly to create a thriving and exciting future for American food,” said Clare Reichenbach, CEO of the James Beard Foundation. “We thank all of our 2023 winners for their dedication to our industry.”
“As a Foundation, we take pride in our commitment to racial and gender equity, community, sustainability, and creating a food culture where all can thrive,” said Kris Moon, president and COO, James Beard Foundation. “Thank you to our outstanding partners—including our presenting partner Capital One and our proud hosts at Choose Chicago and the Illinois Restaurant Association—for sharing this commitment in helping us bring the 2023 Award ceremonies to life.”
“Congratulations to all of the winners, honorees, nominees, and semifinalists recognized over the course of this year’s Awards cycle,” said Dawn Padmore, vice president of Awards, James Beard Foundation. “We are proud to be able to recognize such a diverse group of individuals that represent the best of our industry.”
In addition to the three main Awards ceremonies, this year’s Awards weekend included a multitude of ancillary activities, from special events and parties hosted by Chicago’s culinary community; James Beard Awards session panels; and a James Beard Foundation Greens x Frontier reception for foodies under 40; among others. The free panels—open to industry professionals, students, and the public—featured a range of speakers, including James Beard Award winners and nominees Rick Bayless, Maya-Camille Broussard, Brandon Chrostowski, Valerie Horn, Beverly Kim, Justin Pioche, Sarah Stegner, Sarah Welch, Erick Williams, and others. The panels covered important issues facing the independent restaurant industry and broader food system, including food access, sustainable communities, and advocacy work.
“We are thrilled to welcome all three Awards ceremonies back to Chicago,” said Lynn Osmond, president and CEO of Choose Chicago. “It is an honor to showcase our city’s signature hospitality and esteemed restaurants to this year’s incredibly talented nominees, and we look forward to continuing our partnership with the James Beard Foundation for the 2024 Awards.”
“It is a privilege to continue our partnership with the James Beard Foundation and join in its mission to celebrate and uplift the best of the restaurant industry,” said Monica Weaver, Head of Branded Card Partnerships and Experiences at Capital One. “Congratulations to the chefs, restaurateurs, journalists, and leaders honored this weekend.”
The James Beard Awards, considered to be among the nation’s most prestigious honors, recognize exceptional talent in the culinary and food media industries and broader food system, as well as a demonstrated commitment to racial and gender equity, community, sustainability, and a culture where all can thrive. James Beard Awards policies and procedures can be viewed here.
The 2023 James Beard Awards are presented by Capital One, the official credit card and banking partner of the James Beard Foundation. The James Beard Awards are proudly hosted by Choose Chicago and the Illinois Restaurant Association and presented in association with BentoBox, the official restaurant technology partner of the James Beard Foundation, Chicago O’Hare and Midway International Airports, as well as with the following partners: Premier Sponsors: Acqua Panna® Natural Spring Water, American Airlines, the official airline of the James Beard Foundation, Guinness, Hilton, HMSHost, S.Pellegrino® Sparkling Mineral Water; Supporting Sponsors: HexClad Cookware, Moët & Chandon, Skuna Bay Salmon; Reception Sponsors: Don Julio Tequila, Ecolab, Kendall College at National Louis University, and Windstar Cruises, the official cruise line of the James Beard Foundation; Additional Support Sponsors: Château d’Esclans, Cristaux, Here Here Market, Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet, Tock, VerTerra Dinnerware. Intersport is the Official Broadcast Partner of the 2023 James Beard Awards.
For more information about the James Beard Foundation Awards, visit jamesbeard.org/awards. For up-tothe-minute news about the Awards follow @beardfoundation on Twitter and Instagram and keep an eye out for posts using #jbfa and #goodfoodforgood.
–James Beard Foundation