Jon Yao, the chef and owner of Los Angeles’s Michelin-starred restaurant Kato, was awarded the prestigious James Beard Award for Best Chef: California during a ceremony held in Chicago on June 16, 2025.
This remarkable achievement marks Yao’s first win at the James Beard Awards, which are often regarded as the Oscars of the food industry. It was also the only award that Los Angeles secured this year, following a similar trend where the city captured just one award last year, with Lord Maynard Llera of Kuya Lord winning in the same Best Chef: California category.
Yao’s journey began when he first opened Kato in a modest West LA strip mall back in 2016. Here, he presented a menu influenced by his Taiwanese heritage and upbringing in the culturally rich San Gabriel Valley.
In 2022, in pursuit of greater recognition, Yao relocated Kato to the former M. Georgina space at Row DTLA in the Arts District. The restaurant now offers a continually evolving 12-course tasting menu priced at $325, showcasing intricate dishes designed to reflect his culinary philosophy.
In an interview with Eater in 2021, Yao expressed a strong desire for Michelin recognition, a goal he achieved when Kato was awarded its first Michelin star in 2022. The restaurant has continued to gain accolades, including being honored as “one to watch” by The World’s 50 Best Restaurants in 2024.
Celebrating his win, Yao took a moment to reflect on his Los Angeles roots during the James Beard livestream. “I’m super proud to be from Los Angeles and able to represent what we do,” he stated, emphasizing his connection to the city and what it represents in the culinary world.
This year, Los Angeles had several nominees in various categories, including Gusto Bread for Outstanding Bakery and Strong Water for Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program. Additionally, Tobin Shea from Redbird was nominated for Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service.
The James Beard Awards highlight the achievements of restaurants, bars, and culinary professionals across multiple categories such as Outstanding Restaurant, Best Chef, and Best New Chef. In 2025, the awards introduced three new categories: Best New Bar, Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service, and Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service.
On June 14, preceding the main awards ceremony, the James Beard Foundation hosted its media awards to recognize excellence in food journalism and this year’s best cookbooks, among other achievements. Eater Midwest editor Ashok Selvam was presented with the Jonathan Gold Local Voice Award during this event.
The inaugural James Beard Awards ceremony took place in 1991, featuring celebrated chefs like Rick Bayless, Nancy Silverton, and Wolfgang Puck among its famous winners. In recent years, the organization has faced challenges, including cancellations of its programming in 2020 and 2021 due to serious allegations against nominated chefs and concerns regarding the representation of Black chefs in nominations and victories.
To address these issues, the James Beard Foundation conducted an internal audit aimed at enhancing inclusivity and equity in its voting processes, which resulted in a more regional approach to the Best Chef category starting in 2022.
Notably, some members of the Vox Media team are part of the voting body for the James Beard Awards, while Eater has partnered with the foundation to livestream the awards in 2025, ensuring a wider audience for this prestigious celebration of culinary excellence.
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