At Chicago’s Lyric Opera House, hosts Andrew Zimmern and Nyesha Arrington handed out the James Beard Foundation’s coveted gold medallions, capping a full weekend of food-centric panels and pop-ups.
Three bar-focused categories debuted – Best New Bar, Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service and Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service – underscoring America’s booming cocktail culture.
Additional “Impact” citations joined the long-standing Humanitarian award, honoring leaders driving a fairer, more sustainable food system.
New York snagged half of the six marquee national titles:
| Category | Winner | Venue(s) | City |
|---|---|---|---|
| Outstanding Chef | Jungsik Yim | Jungsik | New York, NY |
| Outstanding Hospitality | Atomix | — | New York, NY |
| Outstanding Restaurateur | Lee Hanson & Riad Nasr | Frenchette, Le Rock, Le Veau d’Or | New York, NY
|
Lifetime Achievement: food historian Toni Tipton-Martin for chronicling Black culinary traditions in “Jubilee,” “A Taste of Heritage” and “The Jemima Code.”
Humanitarian: Chad Houser of Café Momentum (Dallas), a restaurant employing justice-involved youth.
Impact Honorees:
Rep. Angie Craig (MN) – advocacy for an equitable farm bill.
Anthony Edwards Jr. – co-founder of EatOkra, a directory for Black-owned food businesses.
| Title | Recipient | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Outstanding Restaurant | Frasca Food & Wine | Boulder, CO |
| Best New Restaurant | Bûcheron | Minneapolis, MN |
| Emerging Chef | Phila Lorn – Mawn | Philadelphia, PA |
| Outstanding Bakery | Jinju Patisserie | Portland, OR |
| Outstanding Pastry Chef/Baker | Cat Cox – Country Bird Bakery | Tulsa, OK |
| Outstanding Wine & Beverage Program | Charleston | Baltimore, MD |
| Outstanding Bar | Kumiko | Chicago, IL |
| Best New Bar | Identidad Cocktail Bar | San Juan, PR |
| Outstanding Pro, Beverage Service | Arjav Ezekiel – Birdie’s | Austin, TX |
Now in its 35th edition, the James Beard gala continues to evolve: measuring not only taste, service and design, but also leadership, workplace culture and community impact. The 2025 roster reflects that broader mandate — and signals that America’s culinary vanguard is as diverse and dynamic as ever.
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