awards

Here Are the Winners of the 2019 James Beard Foundation Chef and Restaurant Awards

Photo: James Beard Awards

It’s that time of year again: Tonight, some of the country’s most talented chefs, restaurateurs, mixologists, and other food people gathered in Chicago for the James Beard Awards. Among this year’s winners was Tribeca’s own Frenchette in the Best New Restaurant category; together, Rita Sodi and Jody Williams of Via Carota won the regional award for Best Chef: New York City; and design firm Studio Writers took home the award for 75 seats and under for its work on Atomix. See a complete list of all the winners below.

2019 James Beard Foundation Restaurant and Chef Awards

Best New Restaurant
A restaurant opened in 2018 that already demonstrates excellence in cuisine and hospitality, and that is likely to make a significant impact in years to come.

Frenchette
NYC

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. Must have been working as a pastry chef or baker for the past five years.

Greg Wade
Publican Quality Bread
Chicago

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.

Bar Agricole
San Francisco

Outstanding Chef
A chef who sets high culinary standards and who has served as a positive example for other food professionals. Must have been working as a chef for the past five years.

Ashley Christensen
Poole’s Diner
Raleigh, NC

Outstanding Pastry Chef 
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.

Kelly Fields
Willa Jean
New Orleans

Outstanding Restaurant
A restaurant that demonstrates consistent excellence in food, atmosphere, service, and operations. Must have been in business ten or more consecutive years.

Zahav
Philadelphia

Outstanding Restaurateur
A restaurateur who demonstrates creativity in entrepreneurship and integrity in restaurant operations. Must have been in the restaurant business for at least ten years. Must not have been nominated for a James Beard Foundation chef award in the past five years.

Kevin Boehm and Rob Katz
Boka Restaurant Group (BokaGirl & the GoatMomotaro, and others)
Chicago

Outstanding Service
A restaurant in operation for five or more years that demonstrates consistency and exceptional thoughtfulness in hospitality and service.

Frasca Food and Wine
Boulder, CO

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.

Benu
San Francisco

Outstanding Wine, Spirits, or Beer Producer
A beer, wine, or spirits producer who demonstrates consistency and exceptional skill in his or her craft.

Rob Tod
Allagash Brewing Company
Portland, ME

Rising Star Chef of the Year
A chef age 30 or younger who displays exceptional talent, character, and leadership ability, and who is likely to make a significant impact in years to come.

Kwame Onwuachi
Kith and Kin
Washington, D.C.

Best Chefs in America
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: Great Lakes (IL, IN, MI, OH)
Beverly Kim and Johnny Clark
Parachute
Chicago

Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic (D.C., DE, MD, NJ, PA, VA)
Tom Cunanan
Bad Saint
Washington, D.C.

Best Chef: Midwest (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD, WI)
Ann Kim
Young Joni
Minneapolis

Best Chef: New York City (Five Boroughs)
Jody Williams and Rita Sodi
Via Carota

Best Chef: Northeast (CT, MA, ME, NH, NY State, RI, VT)
Tony Messina
Uni
Boston

Best Chef: Northwest (AK, ID, MT, OR, WA, WY)
Brady Williams
Canlis
Seattle

Best Chef: South (AL, AR, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, FL, LA, MS)
Vishwesh Bhatt
Snackbar
Oxford, MS

Best Chef: Southeast (GA, KY, NC, SC, TN, WV)
Mashama Bailey
The Grey
Savannah, GA

Best Chef: Southwest (AZ, CO, NM, OK, TX, UT)
Charleen Badman
FnB
Scottsdale, AZ

Best Chef: West (CA, HI, NV)
Michael Cimarusti
Providence
Los Angeles

2019 James Beard Foundation America’s Classics
Pho 79
Garden Grove, CA
Owners: Tong Trần and Liễu Trần

Jim’s Steak & Spaghetti House
Huntington, WV
Owners: Jimmie Carder, Larry Tweel and Ron Tweel

A&A Bake & Double Roti Shop
Brooklyn, NY
Owners: Noel and Geeta Brown

Sehnert’s Bakery & Bieroc Café
McCook, NE
Owners: Matt and Shelly Sehnert

Annie’s Paramount Steakhouse
Washington, D.C.
Owner: Paul Katinas

2019 James Beard Foundation Humanitarian of the Year
The Giving Kitchen
Nonprofit that provides emergency assistance to food-service workers through financial support and a network of community resources.

2019 James Beard Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award
Patrick O’Connell
Multiple James Beard Award–Winning Chef; Chef & Owner, The Inn at Little Washington in Washington, VA.

2019 James Beard Foundation Outstanding Restaurant Design Awards

75 Seats and Under

Firm: Studio Writers
Project: Atomix, NYC

76 Seats and Over

Firm: Parts and Labor Design
Project: Pacific Standard Time, Chicago

Other Eating and Drinking Places

Firm: Schwartz and Architecture (S^A)
Project: El Pípila, San Francisco

Design Icon
Canlis
Seattle

Here Are the Winners of the 2019 James Beard Awards