The James Beard Foundation Awards made a remarkable return to Chicago on June 16, celebrating the best in the culinary world. While restaurants and chefs nationwide descended upon the Windy City, the awards illuminated a year of achievements, particularly for the San Francisco Bay Area in the media categories.
Despite this recognition, the region faced disappointment regarding its presence in the restaurant and chef finalists on the main stage.
Prominent local chefs like Stuart Brioza and Nicole Krasinski of The Anchovy Bar, The Progress, and State Bird Provisions were notably absent from the awards podium, with the night favoring several New York restaurants instead.
In the Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service category, Jacob Brown represented Mission’s Lazy Bear but did not secure a win. Similarly, neither Richard Lee of Saison nor Kosuke Tada of Mijoté captured the coveted Best Chef: California award.
Even the final nominee, Harbor House Inn, fell short in the Outstanding Hospitality category.
On a brighter note, Mackenzie Chung Fegan, the San Francisco Chronicle’s food critic, emerged victorious, winning the JBF’s Emerging Voice award. Fegan, who has roots in San Francisco and is connected to local eatery Henry’s Hunan, has been in the spotlight recently due to her coverage of events like the infamous Kellergate, where chef Thomas Keller confronted her at his restaurant, French Laundry.
In the audio programming category, Preeti Mistry made waves by claiming the award for their podcast Loading Dock Talks. Mistry had previously garnered attention for their restaurant, Juhu Beach Club, in Oakland before it closed. Their podcast features in-depth conversations with Bay Area chefs and discussions surrounding recipes and social issues.
While accepting the award, Mistry emphasized the importance of storytelling, stating, “One of the goals of empire is to dehumanize certain groups of people. That means trans folks. That means Palestinians. That means undocumented immigrants. Storytelling and oral history is such a part of humanizing people.”
Further recognition for the Bay Area came from Rogelio Garcia, who won the JBF’s Book Awards in the Professional and Restaurant category for his debut cookbook, Convivir: Modern Mexican Cuisine in California’s Wine Country. Co-authored with Andrea Lawson Gray, the book highlights Garcia’s journey through Northern California’s culinary landscape, including his tenure at the now-closed Luce and his current role at Auro, a Michelin-starred restaurant in Calistoga.
Since its inception in 1991, the James Beard Awards, regarded as the “Oscars of food,” have remained a significant event in the culinary industry.
The foundation faced challenges in recent years, having canceled its programming in 2020 and 2021 due to serious allegations against nominees and a critical lack of nominated and winning Black chefs. Following a period of restructuring after internal audits, the organization made its return to the stage.
During the awards ceremonies this year, speeches frequently focused on rejecting the rising anti-immigrant sentiments in the United States, reflecting the vital connection between food, culture, and community.
This event not only highlights culinary excellence but also serves as a platform for addressing relevant social issues, reinforcing the vital role of chefs and food writers in today’s society.
image source from：https://sf.eater.com/restaurant-news/203158/san-francisco-bay-area-2025-james-beard-awards
