The James Beard Foundation Announces 2023 Nominees

Chefs from across the country were recognized in this next step to the June awards ceremony

Photo courtesy of James Beard Foundation

In a ceremony conducted in Nashville earlier today, the James Beard Foundation announced nominees in the restaurant and chef categories for the 2023 awards.

Each year, the nominations are heralded by the culinary community, as a “Beard” can equate to increased business, investor funding, and national accolades for the winning chef and/or restaurateur.

Chefs from across the country were named for the annual Outstanding Chef award, with toques honored from major cities like Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. to Lynn, MA and Clawson, MI.

For chef Niki Nakayama, who was nominated for her work at two-Michelin-starred n/naka in Los Angeles, the nomination, itself, is an honor. In a Zoom press conference, Nakayama acknowledged her diverse group of peers. “It’s truly inspiring that we can move forward together,” she said.

Rob Rubba of Oyster Oyster in Washington D.C. said he felt a responsibility to give back to future chefs. “There are a lot of chefs out there than can put tasty things on a plate. But there are other aspects, including how can we inspire another generation. Let’s continue doing what we’re doing in a positive manner.”

Following, find a complete list of the 2023 James Beard Restaurant and Chef nominees.

The winners of the 2023 awards will be revealed at the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards ceremony on Monday, June 5, in Chicago. Tickets for the awards ceremony go on sale on March 31 and can be purchased here.

Outstanding Chef

• Rachel Miller, Nightshade Noodle Bar, Lynn, MA

• Niki Nakayama, n/naka, Los Angeles, CA

• Erik Ramirez, Llama Inn, Brooklyn, NY

• Rob Rubba, Oyster Oyster, Washington, D.C.

• Hajime Sato, Sozai, Clawson, MI

Outstanding Restaurant

• Copine, Seattle, WA

• Coracora, West Hartford, CT

• Friday Saturday Sunday, Philadelphia, PA

• Lucia, Dallas, TX

• Mita's, Cincinnati, OH

Best New Restaurant 

Restaurants opened between January 1 through September 30, 2022 are eligible

• Causa, Washington, D.C.

• Dept of Culture, New York, NY

• Don Artemio Mexican Heritage, Fort Worth, TX

• Kann, Portland, OR

• Lupi & Iris, Milwaukee, WI

• Neng Jr.'s, Asheville, NC

• Nolia, Cincinnati, OH

• Obélix, Chicago, IL

• Restaurant Beatrice, Dallas, TX

• Tatemó, Houston, TX

Outstanding Restaurateur 

• Brandon Chrostowski, Edwins Leadership and Restaurant Institute (EdwinsLeadership and Restaurant Institute, Edwins too, Edwins Bakery, and others), Cleveland, OH

• Greg Dulan, Dulan’s Soul Food Kitchen, Dulan's on Crenshaw, and Dulanville, Los Angeles, CA 

• Aaron Hoskins, Sarah Simmons, and Elie Yigo, City Grit Hospitality Group (smallSugar, City Grit, Il Focolare Pizzeria), Columbia, SC

• Yenvy and Quynh Pham, Phở Bắc Sup Shop, Phởcific Standard Time, The Boat, Seattle, WA

• Ellen Yin, High Street Hospitality Group (Fork, a.kitchen + bar, High Street, and others), Philadelphia, PA

Emerging Chef

• Damarr Brown, Virtue, Chicago, IL

• Rashida Holmes, Bridgetown Roti, Los Angeles, CA

• Serigne Mbaye, Dakar NOLA, New Orleans, LA

• Charlie Mitchell, Clover Hill, Brooklyn, NY

• Amanda Shulman, Her Place Supper Club, Philadelphia, PA

Outstanding Bakery

• Angelo Brocato Ice Cream & Confectionery, New Orleans, LA

• La Casita Bakeshop, Richardson, TX

• Kuluntu Bakery, Dallas, TX

• Yoli Tortilleria, Kansas City, MO

• Zak the Baker, Miami, FL

Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker 

The former Outstanding Pastry Chef and Outstanding Baker categories have been combined into one, Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker.

• Veronika Gerasimova, Veronika's Pastry Shop, Billings, MT

• Elaine Uykimpang Bentz, Café Mochiko, Cincinnati, OH

• Vince Bugtong, ABACA, San Francisco, CA 

• Margarita Manzke, République, Los Angeles, CA

• Shawn McKenzie, Café Cerés, Minneapolis, MN

Outstanding Hospitality

• The Black Cypress, Pullman, WA

• Bottega, Birmingham, AL

• Lula Drake, Columbia, SC

• The Quarry, Monson, ME

• Sepia, Chicago, IL

Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program 

Expanded from Outstanding Wine Program this year to include other beverages.

• COTE, New York, NY

• Lazy Bear, San Francisco, CA

• Nancy's Hustle, Houston, TX

• OTOTO, Los Angeles, CA

• Spencer, Ann Arbor, MI

Outstanding Bar

Expanded to include wine and other beverages, this award is presented to a wine bar, beer bar, cocktail bar, coffee bar, or any other business whose primary offerings are beverages.

• Bar Leather Apron, Honolulu, HI

• Drastic Measures, Shawnee, KS

• Garagiste Wine Room | Merchant, Las Vegas, NV

• Las Ramblas, Brownsville, TX

• Rob Roy, Seattle, WA

Best Chef: California

• Gilberto Cetina Jr., Holbox, Los Angeles, CA

• Kyle and Katina Connaughton, SingleThread, Healdsburg, CA

• Brandon Hayato Go, Hayato, Los Angeles, CA

• Justin Pichetrungsi, Anajak Thai, Sherman Oaks, CA

• Carlos Salgado, Taco María, Costa Mesa, CA

Best Chef: Great Lakes (IL, IN, MI, OH) 

• Omar Anani, Saffron De Twah, Detroit, MI

• Diana Dávila, Mi Tocaya Antojería, Chicago, IL

• Tim Flores and Genie Kwon, Kasama, Chicago, IL

• Andy Hollyday, Selden Standard, Detroit, MI

• Sarah Welch, Marrow, Detroit, MI

Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic (DC, DE, MD, NJ, PA, VA) 

• Jesse Ito, Royal Sushi, Philadelphia, PA

• Dionicio Jiménez, Cantina La Martina, Philadelphia, PA

• Kate Lasky and Tomasz Skowronski, Apteka, Pittsburgh, PA

• Michael Rafidi, Albi, Washington, D.C.

• Chutatip “Nok” Suntaranon, Kalaya, Philadelphia, PA

Best Chef: Midwest (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD, WI) 

• Sanaa Abourezk, Sanaa's Gourmet Mediterranean, Sioux Falls, SD

• Gregory León, Amilinda, Milwaukee, WI

• Francesco Mangano, Osteria Papavero, Madison, WI

• Itaru Nagano and Andrew Kroeger, Fairchild, Madison, WI

• David Utterback, Yoshitomo, Omaha, NE

Best Chef: Mountain (CO, ID, MT, UT, WY) 

• Salvador Alamilla, Amano, Caldwell, ID

• Michael Diaz de Leon, BRUTØ, Denver, CO

• Suchada Johnson, Teton Thai, Teton Village, WY

• Kris Komori, KIN, Boise, ID

• Ali Sabbah, Mazza, Salt Lake City, UT

Best Chef: New York State 

• Nasim Alikhani, Sofreh, Brooklyn, NY

• Mary Attea, The Musket Room, New York, NY

• Amanda Cohen, Dirt Candy, New York, NY

• Shaina Loew-Banayan, Cafe Mutton, Hudson, NY 

• Junghyun Park, Atomix, New York, NY

Best Chef: Northeast (CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT) 

• Valentine Howell, Krasi, Boston, MA 

• Christian Hunter, Community Table, New Preston, CT

• Sherry Pocknett, Sly Fox Den Too, Charlestown, RI

• Yisha Siu, Yunnan Kitchen, Boston, MA 

• Renee Touponce, The Port of Call, Mystic, CT

Best Chef: Northwest and Pacific (AK, HI, OR, WA) 

• Joshua Dorcak, MÄS, Ashland, OR

• Vince Nguyen, Berlu, Portland, OR

• Thomas Pisha-Duffly, Gado Gado, Portland, OR

• Beau Schooler, In Bocca Al Lupo, Juneau, AK

• Aaron Verzosa, Archipelago, Seattle, WA

Best Chef: Southeast (GA, KY, NC, SC, TN, WV) 

• Sam Fore, Tuk Tuk Sri Lankan Bites, Lexington, KY

• Josh Habiger, Bastion, Nashville, TN

• Sam Hart, Counter-, Charlotte, NC

• Terry Koval, The Deer and the Dove, Decatur, GA

• Paul Smith, 1010 Bridge, Charleston, WV

Best Chef: South (AL, AR, FL, LA, MS, PR) 

• Ana Castro, Lengua Madre, New Orleans, LA

• Timothy Hontzas, Johnny's Restaurant, Homewood, AL

• Henry Moso, Kabooki Sushi, Orlando, FL

• Alex Perry and Kumi Omori, Vestige, Ocean Springs, MS

• Natalia Vallejo, Cocina al Fondo, San Juan, PR

Best Chef: Southwest (AZ, NM, NV, OK) 

•     Oscar Amador, Anima by EDO, Las Vegas, NV

•     Kaoru Azeuchi, KAISEKI YUZU, Las Vegas, NV

•     Andrew Black, Grey Sweater, Oklahoma City, OK

•     Jeff Chanchaleune, Ma Der Lao Kitchen, Oklahoma City, OK

•     Justin Pioche, Pioche Food Group, Upper Fruitland (Doolkai), Navajo Nation, NM

Best Chef: Texas 

•     Reyna Duong, Sandwich Hag, Dallas, TX

•     Benchawan Jabthong Painter, Street to Kitchen, Houston, TX

•     Emiliano Marentes, ELEMI, El Paso, TX

•     John Russ, Clementine, San Antonio, TX

•     Ernest Servantes and David Kirkland, Burnt Bean Co., Seguin, TX   

Leadership Awards

• Jim Embry, Sustainable Communities Network, Slow Food USA, and Ujamaa Cooperative Farming Alliance

• Valerie Horn, CANE Kitchen, Cowan Community Center, and City of Whitesburg Farmers Market

• Savonala “Savi” Horne, Land Loss Prevention Project

• Ira Wallace, Southern Exposure Seed Exchange

• Rowen White, Sierra Seeds

• Emerging Leadership: The Burgerville Workers Union

Humanitarian of the Year Award

The 2023 Humanitarian of the Year Award honorees are the co-founders of the Black Farmer Fund: social entrepreneur and impact investor Olivia Watkins, and farmer and activist Karen Washington.

Lifetime Achievement Award

The 2023 Lifetime Achievement Award honoree is cookbook author, writer, teacher, and actress Madhur Jaffrey CBE.