The 2025 James Beard Award Winners Are In

Photo Credit: Daniel Boczarski/Getty Images for James Beard Foundation

Last night, the James Beard Foundation unveiled the winners of its 2025 Restaurant and Chef Awards at a sold-out ceremony in Chicago’s Lyric Opera House, with over 1,500 guests celebrating the biggest night in food. The annual honors, often referred to as the Oscars of the culinary world, recognize chefs, restaurateurs, and beverage professionals who are setting the standard—and raising the bar—for what dining in America can look like today.

This year’s winners reflect a thrilling range of talent, from fine-dining icons to rising stars redefining regional cuisine and hospitality. Among the standouts: Jungsik Yim of New York’s Jungsik was named Outstanding Chef, while Frasca Food and Wine in Boulder, CO took home Outstanding Restaurant. In the Best New Restaurant category, Bûcheron in Minneapolis claimed the spotlight for its bold vision and execution.

Photo Credit: Daniel Boczarski/Getty Images for James Beard Foundation

The night also marked the debut of several new categories recognizing beverage excellence. Kumiko in Chicago was named Outstanding Bar, while Identidad Cocktail Bar in San Juan, Puerto Rico won Best New Bar. Arjav Ezekiel of Birdie’s in Austin and Ignacio “Nacho” Jimenez of Superbueno in New York were honored for their leadership in beverage and cocktail service, respectively.

Photo Credit: Jeff Schear/Getty Images for James Beard Foundation

The Awards—which just turned 35—also paid tribute to luminaries like Toni Tipton-Martin (Lifetime Achievement), Chad Houser of Café Momentum (Humanitarian of the Year), and six beloved neighborhood spots named as 2025’s America’s Classics, from Lem’s Bar-B-Q in Chicago to Dooky Chase in New Orleans. Hosted by chefs Nyesha Arrington and Andrew Zimmern, the night was a who’s-who of the culinary world, with presenters including Daniel Boulud, Rick Bayless, Gail Simmons, Marcus Samuelsson, Nina Compton, and more.  

See the full list of winners below!

Photo Credit: Daniel Boczarski/Getty Images for James Beard Foundation

Outstanding Restaurateur: A restaurateur who uses their establishment(s) as a vehicle for building community, demonstrates creativity in entrepreneurship, and integrity in restaurant operations.

Lee Hanson and Riad Nasr, Frenchette, Le Veau d’ Or, and Le Rock, New York, NY

Outstanding Chef presented by Hilton: A chef who sets high culinary standards and has served as a positive example for other food professionals.

Jungsik Yim, Jungsik, New York, NY

Outstanding Restaurant presented by Acqua Panna® Natural Spring Water: A restaurant that demonstrates consistent excellence in food, atmosphere, hospitality, and operations.

Frasca Food and Wine, Boulder, CO

Emerging Chef presented by S. Pellegrino® Sparkling Natural Mineral Water: A chef who displays exceptional talent, character, and leadership ability, and who is likely to make a significant impact in years to come.

Phila Lorn, Mawn, Philadelphia, PA

Best New Restaurant: A restaurant opened between October 1, 2023, through September 30, 2024, that already demonstrates excellence in cuisine, seems likely to make a significant impact in years to come, and demonstrates consistent excellence in food, atmosphere, hospitality, and operations. Those establishments that have opened after September 30, 2024, can be considered for the 2026 Awards.

Bûcheron, Minneapolis, MN

Outstanding Bakery: A baker of breads, pastries, or desserts that demonstrates consistent excellence in food, atmosphere, hospitality, and operations.

JinJu Patisserie, Portland, OR

Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker: A pastry chef or baker who makes desserts, pastries, or breads. The candidate demonstrates exceptional skills and can be affiliated with any food business and does not need a brick-and mortar presence.

Cat Cox, Country Bird Bakery, Tulsa, OK

Outstanding Hospitality presented by American Airlines: A restaurant, bar, or other food and drinking establishment that fosters a sense of hospitality among its customers and staff that serves as a beacon for the community and demonstrates consistent excellence in food, atmosphere, hospitality, and operations.

Atomix, New York, NY

Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program: A restaurant that demonstrates exceptional care and skill in the pairing of wine and other beverages with food. This includes the selection, preparation, and serving of wine, cocktails, spirits, coffee, tea, beer, or any other beverage with outstanding hospitality and service that helps inform and enhance a customer’s appreciation of the beverage(s). Ethical sourcing will also be considered.

Charleston, Baltimore, MD

Outstanding Bar: A wine bar, beer bar, cocktail bar, coffee bar, or any other business whose primary offering is beverage and that demonstrates consistent excellence in curating a selection or in the preparation of drinks, along with outstanding atmosphere, hospitality, and operations.

Kumiko, Chicago, IL

(New) Best New Bar: A wine bar, beer bar, cocktail bar, coffee bar, or any other business whose primary offering is beverage, opened between October 1, 2023 through September 30, 2024, that already demonstrates excellence in beverages, seems likely to make a significant impact in years to come, and demonstrates consistent excellence in the preparation of drinks, sourcing, service, hospitality, atmosphere, and operations. Those establishments that have opened after September 30, 2024, can be considered for the 2026 Awards.

Identidad Cocktail Bar, San Juan, PR

(New) Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service: A service professional who curates and serves wine, beer, or other offerings such as sake, low- and non-alcoholic beverages in a restaurant or bar setting; or winery, distillery or brewery that also serves food. Candidate has set high standards; demonstrates creativity and consistency in excellence, innovation, hospitality; is making efforts to create a sustainable work culture; and has served as an exceptional example or mentor for other beverage professionals.

Arjav Ezekiel, Birdie’s, Austin, TX

(New) Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service: A service professional who creates and serves cocktails or other offerings such as low- and non-alcoholic beverages. Candidate has set high standards; demonstrates creativity and consistency in excellence, innovation, hospitality; is making efforts to create a sustainable work culture; and has served as an exceptional example or mentor for other beverage professionals.

Ignacio “Nacho” Jimenez, Superbueno, New York, NY

Photo Credit: Daniel Boczarski/Getty Images for James Beard Foundation

Best Chefs presented by Capital One (by region): Chefs who set high standards in their culinary skills and leadership abilities and who are making efforts to help create a sustainable work culture in their respective regions.

Best Chef: California

Jon Yao, Kato, Los Angeles, CA

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

Noah Sandoval, Oriole, Chicago, IL

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

Carlos Delgado, Causa and Amazonia, Washington, D.C.

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

Karyn Tomlinson, Myriel, St. Paul, MN

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

Salvador Alamilla, Amano, Caldwell, ID

Best Chef: New York State

Vijay Kumar, Semma, New York, NY

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

Sky Haneul Kim, Gift Horse, Providence, RI

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

Timothy Wastell, Antica Terra, Amity, OR

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

Nando Chang, Itamae AO, Miami, FL

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

Jake Howell, Peninsula, Nashville, TN

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

Yotaka Martin, Lom Wong, Phoenix, AZ

Best Chef: Texas

Thomas Bille, Belly of the Beast, Spring, TX

Previously announced 2025 honorees and winners were also celebrated on stage:

Lifetime Achievement Award: Toni Tipton-Martin

Toni Tipton-Martin is an author, culinary journalist, and activist with a career dedicated to building a healthier community. Through her books, foundation, and role as editor-in-chief of Cook’s Country Magazine and television show, Tipton-Martin shares the stories of America’s favorite dishes. A founding member of the Southern Foodways Alliance and Foodways Texas, Tipton-Martin authored many important cookbooks celebrating Black culinary history, including James Beard Award nominee® Juke Joints, Jazz Clubs, and Juice: Cocktails From Two Centuries of African American Cookbooks and James Beard Award winners Jubilee: Recipes From Two Centuries of African American Cooking and The Jemima Code: Two Centuries of African American Cookbooks. In 2008, after 30 years in media and culinary education, Tipton-Martin founded the SANDE Youth Project, a nonprofit dedicated to improving the lives of vulnerable families by combating childhood hunger, obesity, and disease through cultural heritage, cooking, and overall wellness. With a grant from the Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and the Culinary Arts, the organization was renamed the Toni Tipton-Martin Foundation and restructured its operations to further Tipton-Martin’s legacy of award-winning food and nutrition journalism.

Humanitarian of the Year Award: Chad Houser, Café Momentum

Dallas native Chad Houser founded Café Momentum with a mission to transform young lives by equipping teens aged 15-19 with life skills, education, and employment opportunities at an award-winning restaurant and culinary training facility. As founder, CEO, and executive chef, Houser jokingly describes his ten-year-old nonprofit as “taking kids out of jail and teaching them to play with knives and fire.” All jokes aside, his hard work has paid off. After spending 17 years as a chef, Houser sold his restaurant shares to devote his full attention to his role at Café Momentum where he teaches life, social, and employment skills to Dallas’s most at-risk youth. In 2020, Houser launched Cafe Momentum’s expansion initiative, creating a national team dedicated to scaling the model for youth justice across the country. Café Momentum has expanded beyond Dallas to Atlanta and Pittsburgh, with a fourth location slated to open in Denver next year. Café Momentum plans to have ten locations and a national flagship restaurant and training center by 2035.

Michael Phillips, president of Jamestown Properties and a James Beard Foundation trustee, has established the Michael Phillips Humanitarian Fund at the James Beard Foundation, which will grant an annual cash award of $20,000 to the Humanitarian of the Year.

America’s Classics: The America’s Classics Award is given to locally and independently owned restaurants with timeless appeal and beloved in their region for food that reflects the character and cultural traditions of its community.

Lem’s Bar-B-Q, Chicago, IL, Current Owner: Carmen Lemons

The Pioneer Saloon, Ketchum, ID, Current Owners: Sheila Witmer and Duffy Witmer

Sullivan’s Castle Island, Boston, MA, Current Owner: Brendan Sullivan

Lucky Wishbone, Anchorage, AK, Current Owners: Patricia Brown-Heller, Heidi Heinrich-Lervaag, and Carolina Stacey

Dooky Chase, New Orleans, LA, Owners: The Chase Family

Gaido’s, Galveston, TX, Current Owner: Nick Gaido

Photo Credit: 2025 James Beard Restaurant And Chef Award

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