2019 James Beard Awards

By Gayot Editors

2019 James Beard Award Winners

The James Beard Foundation’s 2019 James Beard Awards took place on May 6, 2019, at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. The annual ceremony honors culinary professionals throughout America, from chefs to wine and spirits makers, for their extraordinary excellence and achievements. Patrick O’Connell, chef and owner of The Inn at Little Washington, received this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award, while The Giving Kitchen non-profit was recognized as the 2019 James Beard Foundation Humanitarian of the Year.

View GAYOT’s Annual Restaurant Awards

The winners for the restaurant and chef categories are included below.

BEST NEW RESTAURANT

WINNER:
Frenchette, NYC

Angler, San Francisco
Atomix, NYC
Bavel, Los Angeles
Majordomo, Los Angeles

View GAYOT’s Best New Restaurants in the U.S.

OUTSTANDING BAKER

WINNER:
Greg Wade, Publican Quality Bread, Chicago

Zachary Golper, Bien Cuit, Brooklyn
Maura Kilpatrick, Sofra Bakery and Café, Cambridge, MA
Lisa Ludwinski, Sister Pie, Detroit
Avery Ruzicka, Manresa Bread, Los Gatos, CA

OUTSTANDING BAR PROGRAM

WINNER:
Bar Agricole, San Francisco

Dead Rabbit, NYC
Kimball House, Decatur, GA
Lost Lake, Chicago
Ticonderoga Club, Atlanta

View GAYOT’s Best Craft Cocktail Bars in the U.S.

OUTSTANDING CHEF

presented by All-Clad Metalcrafters

WINNER:
Ashley Christensen, Poole’s Diner, Raleigh, NC

Corey Lee, Benu, San Francisco
David Kinch, Manresa, Los Gatos, CA
Donald Link, Herbsaint, New Orleans
Marc Vetri, Vetri Cucina, Philadelphia

OUTSTANDING PASTRY CHEF

Presented by Lavazza

WINNER:
Kelly Fields, Willa Jean, New Orleans

Juan Contreras, Atelier Crenn, San Francisco
Meg Galus, Boka, Chicago
Margarita Manzke, République, Los Angeles
Pichet Ong, Brothers and Sisters, Washington, D.C.

OUTSTANDING RESTAURANT

presented by S.Pellegrino® Sparkling Natural Mineral Water

WINNER:
Zahav, Philadelphia

Balthazar, NYC
FIG, Charleston, SC
Jaleo, Washington, D.C.
Quince, San Francisco

View GAYOT’s Top 40 Restaurants in the U.S.

OUTSTANDING RESTAURATEUR

presented by Magellan Corporation

WINNER:
Kevin Boehm and Rob Katz, Boka Restaurant Group, Chicago

Hugh Acheson, Empire State South, Five & Ten and others, Atlanta
JoAnn Clevenger, Upperline, New Orleans
Ken Oringer, Uni, Toro and others, Boston
Alex Raij and Eder Montero, La Vara, Txikito and others, NYC
Ellen Yin, High Street Hospitality Group, Philadelphia (Fork, High Street on Market, High Street on Hudson, and others)

View GAYOT’s Best Restaurateur

OUTSTANDING WINE PROGRAM

presented by Robert Mondavi Winery

WINNER:
Benu, San Francisco

Bacchanal, New Orleans
Miller Union, Atlanta
Night + Market, Los Angeles
Spiaggia, Chicago

View GAYOT’s Best Wine Lists in the U.S.

OUTSTANDING WINE, BEER OR SPIRITS PRODUCER

WINNER:
Rob Tod, Allagash Brewing Company, Portland, ME

Cathy Corison, Corison Winery, St. Helena, CA
Ann Marshall and Scott Blackwell, High Wire Distilling Co., Charleston, SC
Steve Matthiasson, Matthiasson Wines, Napa, CA
Lance Winters, St. George Spirits, Alameda, CA

OUTSTANDING SERVICE

WINNER:
Frasca Food and Wine, Boulder, CO

Brigtsen’s, New Orleans
Canlis, Seattle
Saison, San Francisco
Swan Oyster Depot, San Francisco
Zingerman’s Delicatessen, Ann Arbor, MI

RISING STAR CHEF OF THE YEAR

presented by S.Pellegrino® Sparkling Natural Mineral Water

WINNER:
Kwame Onwuachi, Kith and Kin, Washington, D.C.

Ana Castro, Coquette, New Orleans
Alisha Elenz, MFK, Chicago
Alexander Hong, Sorrel, San Francisco
Jesse Ito, Royal Izakaya, Philadelphia
Jonathan Yao, Kato, Los Angeles

BEST CHEF: GREAT LAKES

WINNER:
Beverly Kim and Johnny Clark, Parachute, Chicago

Diana Dávila, Mi Tocaya Antojería, Chicago
Jason Hammel, Lula Café, Chicago
David Posey and Anna Posey, Elske, Chicago
Noah Sandoval, Oriole, Chicago
Lee Wolen, Boka, Chicago

BEST CHEF: MID-ATLANTIC

WINNER:
Tom Cunanan, Bad Saint, Washington, D.C.

Amy Brandwein, Centrolina, Washington, D.C.
Rich Landau, Vedge, Philadelphia
Cristina Martinez, South Philly Barbacoa, Philadelphia
Cindy Wolf, Charleston, Baltimore

BEST CHEF: MIDWEST

WINNER:
Ann Kim, Young Joni, Minneapolis

Michael Corvino, Corvino Supper Club & Tasting Room, Kansas City, MO
Michael Gallina, Vicia, St. Louis
Jamie Malone, Grand Café, Minneapolis
Christina Nguyen, Hai Hai, Minneapolis

BEST CHEF: NEW YORK CITY

WINNER:
Jody Williams and Rita Sodi, Via Carota

Sean Gray, Momofuku Ko
Brooks Headley, Superiority Burger
Daniela Soto-Innes, Atla
Alex Stupak, Empellón Midtown

BEST CHEF: NORTHEAST

WINNER:
Tony Messina, Uni, Boston

Tiffani Faison, Tiger Mama, Boston
James Mark, North, Providence
Cassie Piuma, Sarma, Somerville, MA
Benjamin Sukle, Oberlin, Providence

BEST CHEF: NORTHWEST

WINNER:
Brady Williams, Canlis, Seattle

Peter Cho, Han Oak, Portland, OR
Katy Millard, Coquine, Portland, OR
Justin Woodward, Castagna, Portland, OR
Rachel Yang and Seif Chirchi, Joule, Seattle

BEST CHEF: SOUTH

WINNER:
Vishwesh Bhatt, Snackbar, Oxford, MS

Jose Enrique, Jose Enrique, San Juan, PR
Kristen Essig and Michael Stoltzfus, Coquette, New Orleans
Slade Rushing, Brennan’s, New Orleans
Isaac Toups, Toups’ Meatery, New Orleans

BEST CHEF: SOUTHEAST

WINNER:
Mashama Bailey, The Grey, Savannah, GA

Katie Button, Cúrate, Asheville, NC
Cassidee Dabney, The Barn at Blackberry Farm, Walland, TN
Ryan Smith, Staplehouse, Atlanta
Andrew Ticer and Michael Hudman, Andrew Michael Italian Kitchen, Memphis