Change

JBFA Makes Some Changes, Starting With Puerto Rico

News for Nevada, too.
News for Nevada, too.

The James Beard Foundation has announced changes in regions and category names for the cream-of-the-crop awards. Some major shifts include the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, which is now included in the mix (and the “Best Chef South” category), and “Best Chef Pacific” which has blended into a more comprehensive “Best Chef West.”


New York, NY (June 18, 2012) - The James Beard Foundation has announced changes in regions and category names for the culinary industry’s most prestigious honors. Beginning with the 2013 James Beard Awards, chefs in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico will be eligible for “Best Chef South” Award and Nevada will join with California and Hawaii to form the new Western region of “Best Chef West.”

“The Restaurant and Chef Awards Committee is always looking for ways to improve the James Beard Awards to better reflect what’s happening in the industry across the country,” said Susan Ungaro, president of the James Beard Foundation. “These changes signal the growth and vitality of America’s ever-evolving culinary culture in different geographic regions.”

Chefs and restaurants in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico will now be able to vie for a Beard Award in the category of “Best Chef South” along with chefs from Florida, Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, and Arkansas. Puerto Rico restaurants will also qualify for awards in national categories, such as Outstanding Chef, Restaurant/Restaurateur and Service, as well as for the America’s Classic award, an honor bestowed annually on five restaurants with timeless appeal and that are beloved in their region for quality food that reflects the character of the community.

“Including Puerto Rico along with the 50 states and Washington D.C. recognizes the Commonwealth’s vibrant and expanding restaurant scene,” said Providence Cicero, Seattle Times restaurant critic and chair of the James Beard Foundation’s Restaurant and Chef Awards Committee. “We expect Puerto Rico’s participation will broaden and enrich the awards competition both in the Southern region and nationally.”

In addition, the Restaurant and Chef Awards Committee announced a redistricting change. Nevada, previously part of the Southwest region, will join California and Hawaii, forming a new three-state Western region. The award category previously known as “Best Chef Pacific” will now be called “Best Chef West”.

The change in the regional “Best Chef” awards more accurately showcases the state of culinary culture in the United States. Since the regions were last reconfigured in 2005, the Southwest region has grown dramatically in population. The previous seven-state region included nine of the 50 largest metropolitan areas in the country.

“Reducing the geographic size of the Southwest region will give chefs and restaurants in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Texas, and Oklahoma a demographically appropriate chance to compete for a Beard award,” added Cicero. “Similarly, Nevada, California and Hawaii, each with metro areas that enjoy a high degree of culinary tourism, are well-matched to compete in the West.”

To submit a chef or restaurant to be considered for a nomination or to view the full list of 2013 James Beard Awards categories and deadlines, please visit jamesbeard.org/awards beginning October 15, 2012. The deadline for the Journalism, Broadcast, Restaurant Design & Graphics Awards is early January 2013, and the deadline for the Restaurant & Chef Awards is December 31, 2012.

The Awards are open to any industry professional who meets the criteria. Nominees will be announced on March 18, 2013. James Beard Foundation membership is not required for participation in the nomination process or to win an award. Ballot tabulation is handled by Lutz and Carr, an independent accounting firm.

The James Beard Foundation Books, Broadcast, and Journalism Awards will be held on May 3, 2013 in New York City. The James Beard Foundation Awards Gala will be presented on May 6, 2013 at Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Hall in New York City.
JBFA Makes Some Changes, Starting With Puerto Rico