HERE ARE THE 2011 WINNERS!

Download the complete list here!

 

 

2011 NOMINEES

Download the list of award nominees

 

2011 JAMES BEARD FOUNDATION AWARD NOMINEES

 

2011 JAMES BEARD FOUNDATION BOOK AWARDS

Presented by Green & Black’s® Organic Chocolate

For cookbooks published in English in 2010
Winners will be announced on May 6, 2011

AMERICAN COOKING

The Food, Folklore, and Art of Lowcountry Cooking

by Joseph E. Dabney

(Cumberland House)

The Frankies Spuntino Kitchen Companion & Cooking Manual

by Frank Castronovo, Frank Falcinelli, and Peter Meehan

(Artisan)

Pig: King of the Southern Table

by James Villas

(John Wiley & Sons)

BAKING AND DESSERT

Good to the Grain: Baking with Whole-Grain Flours

by Kim Boyce

(Stewart, Tabori & Chang)

My Sweet Mexico: Recipes for Authentic Pastries, Breads, Candies, Beverages, and Frozen Treats

by Fany Gerson

(Ten Speed Press)

Sarabeth's Bakery: From My Hands to Yours

by Sarabeth Levine with Rick Rodgers

(Rizzoli New York)

BEVERAGE

Opus Vino

by DK Publishing

(DK Publishing)

Reading Between the Wines

by Terry Theise

(University of California Press)

Secrets of the Sommeliers: How to Think and Drink Like the World's Top Wine Professionals

by Jordan Mackay and Rajat Parr

(Ten Speed Press)

Cooking from a Professional Point of View

Michael Chiarello's Bottega

by Michael Chiarello

(Chronicle Books)

The Modern Café

by Francisco J. Migoya and The Culinary Institute of America

(John Wiley & Sons)

Noma: Time and Place in Nordic Cuisine

by René Redzepi

(Phaidon Press)

GENERAL COOKING

The Essential New York Times Cook Book: Classic Recipes for a New Century

by Amanda Hesser

(W.W. Norton & Company)

Heart of the Artichoke and Other Kitchen Journeys

by David Tanis

(Artisan)

Radically Simple: Brilliant Flavors with Breathtaking Ease

by Rozanne Gold

(Rodale)

HEALTHY FOCUS

Clean Start: Inspiring You to Eat Clean and Live Well

by Terry Walters

(Sterling/Epicure)

The Simple Art of EatingWell Cookbook

by Jessie Price & the EatingWell Test Kitchen

(The Countryman Press)

The Very Best Recipes for Health: 250 Recipes and More from the Popular Feature on NYTimes.com

by Martha Rose Shulman

(Rodale)

INTERNATIONAL

Cook Italy

by Katie Caldesi

(Kyle Books)

Oaxaca al Gusto: An Infinite Gastronomy

by Diana Kennedy

(University of Texas Press)

Stir-Frying to the Sky's Edge: The Ultimate Guide to Mastery, with Authentic Recipes and Stories

by Grace Young

(Simon & Schuster)

PHOTOGRAPHY

The Blue Chair Jam Cookbook

Photographer: Sara Remington

(Andrews McMeel Publishing)

Noma: Time and Place in Nordic Cuisine

Photographer: Ditte Isager

(Phaidon Press)

Tartine Bread

Photographer: Eric Wolfinger

(Chronicle Books)

REFERENCE AND SCHOLARSHIP

Encyclopedia of Jewish Food

by Gil Marks

(John Wiley & Sons)

Salted: A Manifesto on the World's Most Essential Mineral, with Recipes

by Mark Bitterman

(Ten Speed Press)

What I Eat: Around the World in 80 Diets

by Faith D'Aluisio and Peter Menzel

(Material World Books/Ten Speed Press)

SINGLE SUBJECT

Good Meat: The Complete Guide to Sourcing and Cooking Sustainable Meat

by Deborah Krasner

(Stewart, Tabori & Chang)

Ham: An Obsession with the Hindquarter

by Mark Scarborough and Bruce Weinstein

(Stewart, Tabori & Chang)

Meat: A Kitchen Education

by James Peterson

(Ten Speed Press)

Writing and Literature

Empires of Food: Feast, Famine, and the Rise and Fall of Civilizations

by Evan D. G. Fraser and Andrew Rimas

(Free Press)

Four Fish: The Future of the Last Wild Food

by Paul Greenberg

(The Penguin Press)

Peace Meals: Candy-Wrapped Kalashnikovs and Other War Stories

by Anna Badkhen

(Free Press)

The winner of Cookbook of the Year and the Cookbook Hall of Fame Inductee will be announced on May 6, 2011.

[ Back to Top ]

 

2011 James Beard Foundation Broadcast Media Awards

Presented by Lenox Tableware and Gifts

For television, webcast, and radio programs aired in 2010
Winners will be announced on May 6, 2011

Audio Webcast or Radio Show

CBC Ideas: “Pasta: The Long and Short of It”

Host: Megan Williams

Area: Canada and Online

Producers: Susan Mahoney and Megan Williams

The Canadian Table

Hosts: Don Genova and Amy Jo Ehman

Area: Canada and Online

Producers: Don Genova and Amy Jo Ehman

Martha Stewart Living Radio: Anthony Bourdain and Eric Ripert: Turn and Burn

Hosts: Anthony Bourdain and Eric Ripert

Area: National

Producers: Naomi Gabay, Neil Golub, and Chris Hauselt

TV Food Personality/Host

Alton Brown

Show: Good Eats

Network: Food Network

Bobby Flay

Show: Brunch @ Bobby's

Network: Cooking Channel

Duff Goldman

Show: Ace of Cakes

Network: Food Network

Television Program, In Studio or Fixed Location

Alex's Day Off

Host: Alexandra Guarnaschelli

Network: Food Network

Producers: Bobby Flay, Fran Alswang, Kim Martin and Trey Nelson

Spice Goddess

Host: Bal Arneson

Network: Food Network Canada and Cooking Channel

Producer: Johanna Eliot

Top Chef: Season 7

Host: Padma Lakshmi

Network: Bravo

Producers: Tom Colicchio, Dan Cutforth, Jane Lipsitz, and Dave Serwatka

Television Program, On Location

Ace of Cakes

Host: Duff Goldman

Network: Food Network

Producers: Jeanne Begley, Lauren Lexton, and Tom Rogan

Avec Eric

Host: Eric Ripert

Network: PBS, Online

Producers: Justin Barocas, Heather Brown, and Geoffrey Drummond

Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern

Host: Andrew Zimmern

Network: Travel Channel

Producer: Andrew Zimmern

Television Segment

60 Minutes: “Chef José Andrés”

Host: Anderson Cooper

Network: CBS

Producers: Bill Owens and Kara Vaccaro

CBS News Sunday Morning: “Recipe for Success,” “Fields of Green,” and “Striking a Gourd”

Host: Martha Teichner

Network: CBS

Producers: David Bhagat, Jon Carras, Ed Forgotson, David Small, and Douglas W. Smith

CBS News Sunday Morning: “Worth a Shot”

Host: Seth Doane

Network: CBS

Producers: Seth Doane and Jack Renaud

Television Special/Documentary

Emeril Green: Emeril's Culinary Adventure: Vermont

Host: Emeril Lagasse

Network: Planet Green

Producers: Dominique Andrews, Jim Brennan, Elina Brown, Karen Katz, Emeril Lagasse, Charissa Melnick, Marie Ostrosky, and Nancy Swenton

Milk War

Host: Colm Feore

Network: ichannel

Producers: Declan O'Driscoll and Kevin O'Keefe

The Four Coursemen

Hosts: Randolph Dudley, Nancy Lind, Matthew Palmerlee, Eddie Russell, Damien Schaefer, and Patrick Stubbers

Network: Cooking Channel

Producers: Blair Bess, Garrett Bess, and Evan Strome

Video Webcast

Food. Curated.

Foodcurated.com

Host: Liza de Guia

Producer: Liza de Guia

Ozersky.TV

Ozersky.TV

Host: Josh Ozersky

Producers: Jeff Larson, Ben Leventhal, Laurie Pila Horowitz, and JP Saladin

GrapeRadio

Graperadio.com

Hosts: Eric Anderson, Brian Clark, and Jay Selman

Producers: Mark Ryan and Jay Selman

[ Back to Top ]

 

2011 James Beard Foundation
Design and Graphics Awards

Winners will be announced on May 9, 2011

Outstanding Restaurant Design

For the best restaurant design or renovation
in North America since January 1, 2008

Design Firm: Aidlin Darling Design

Designers: Joshua Aidlin, Roslyn Cole, and David Darling

Project: Bar Agricole, San Francisco

Design Firm: Bestor Architecture

Designers: Barbara Bestor, John Colter, and Cathy Johnson

Project: Pitfire Pizza, Los Angeles

Design Firm: Natoma Architects Inc.

Designer: Stanley Saitowitz

Project: Toast, Novato, CA

Outstanding Restaurant Graphics

For the best restaurant graphics executed
in North America since January 1, 2008

Design Firm: Katie Barcelona

Designer: Katie Barcelona

Project: L'Artusi, NYC

Design Firm: Love and War

Designer: Katie Tully

Project: The National Bar & Dining Rooms, NYC

Design Firm: JNL Graphic Design

Designers: Donald Madia and Jason Pickleman

Project: The Publican, Chicago

[ Back to Top ]

 

2011 James Beard Foundation Journalism Awards

For articles published in English in 2010
Winners will be announced on May 6, 2011

Cooking, Recipes, or Instruction

Sara Dickerman, Harris Salat, and Lonnée Hamilton

Saveur

“A Thing of Beauty,” “The Beauty of Nori,” “Green Goddess”

Amy Thielen

Minneapolis Star Tribune

“A Good Catch,” “Low-Tech Wonder,” “From the Bean Patch: Plenty”

Cassandra Vires

Feast Magazine

The Cheat: “Duck Confit,” “Turducken,” “Holiday Leftovers”

Craig Claiborne Distinguished
Restaurant Review Award

Dara Moskowitz Grumdahl

Minnesota Monthly

“The Kids Are All Right,” “Island Adventure,” “Heart Warming”

Patric Kuh

Los Angeles

“Animal Magnetism,” “Making Their Move,” “Time for a Redo?”

Adam Platt

New York

“Locavorism Grows Up,” “Pizza à la McNally,” “Chang Heads North”

Environment, Food Politics, and Policy

Monica Eng

Chicago Tribune

“CPS Won’t Let Kids Eat Their Vegetables”

Barry Estabrook

Gastronomica

“A Tale of Two Dairies”

Carl Safina

EatingWell

“Sea Change”

Food Culture and Travel

Bill Addison

Atlanta Magazine

“BBQ 2010”

Rick Bragg, Francine Maroukian, and Robb Walsh

Garden & Gun

“The Southerner's Guide to Oysters”

Matt Gross

Saveur

“Taipei, Family Style”

Food-related Columns and Commentary

Tim Carman

Washington City Paper

“Ignore the Pizza Police,” “Supply and Da Men,” “Schmeer Campaign”

Tom Philpott

Grist.org

“Time for the Public to Reinvest in Food-System Infrastructure,” “How the Agrichemical Industry Turns Failure into Market Opportunity,” “The History of Urban Agriculture Should Inspire Its Future”

Lettie Teague

The Wall Street Journal

“Why I Hate Ordering Wine by the Glass,” “Are the Wines in First Class Truly First-Rate?,” “Wines that Pack a Little Extra Kick”

Food-related Feature

Jonathan Gold

LA Weekly

“99 Things to Eat in L.A. Before You Die”

Dan Koeppel

Saveur

“Fruit of the Future”

Corby Kummer

Theatlantic.com

“The Great Grocery Smackdown”

Food Section of a General Interest Publication

GQ

The Editors of GQ

San Francisco Chronicle

Jon Bonné and Miriam Morgan

The Washington Post

Joe Yonan

Group Food Blog

City of Ate

Blogs.dallasobserver.com/cityofate

Hanna Raskin

The Epi-Log

Epicurious.com/articlesguides/blogs/editor

Tanya Steel

Grub Street New York

Newyork.grubstreet.com

Daniel Maurer, Jenny Miller, and Alan Sytsma

Health and Nutrition

Joe Fassler

Theatlantic.com

“In Iowa Egg Country: Stench, Suspicion, and Fear,” “Before Iowa's Tainted Eggs, There was Maine,” “Timeline of Shame: Decades of DeCoster Egg Factory Violations”

Rachael Moeller Gorman

EatingWell

“Captain of the Happier Meal”

Peter Jaret

Runner's World

“Pasta Perfect”

Humor

Rosecrans Baldwin

Slate.com

“Popcorn: Cinema's Worst Enemy”

Ruth Bourdain

Twitter.com/RuthBourdain

Alice Laussade

Dallas Observer

“OK, Who Put Food in My Beer?”

Individual Food Blog

Politics of the Plate

Politicsoftheplate.com

Barry Estabrook

Poor Man's Feast

Poormansfeast.com

Elissa Altman

Red Cook

Redcook.net

Kian Lam Kho

M.F.K. Fisher Distinguished Writing Award

Colman Andrews

Departures

“Everything Comes from the Sea”

Jonathan Gold

LA Weekly

“A Movable Beast”

Patric Kuh

Saveur

“Nights on the Town”

Multimedia Food Feature

Michael Gebert and Julia Thiel

The Chicago Reader

Key Ingredient: “Kluwak Kupas,” “Chinese Black Beans,” “Geraniums”

Katharine Shilcutt

Houston Press

“Designer Meats”

Andrew Zimmern

Msn.com

“Appetite for Life”

Personal Essay

Rick Bragg

Gourmet Live

“The Guiltless Pleasure”

Daniel Duane

Food & Wine

“How to Become an Intuitive Cook”

Tom Junod

Esquire

“My Mom Couldn't Cook”

Profile

Barry Estabrook

The New York Times Magazine

“The Catch”

Brian Halweil

Edible Manhattan

“Joan Gussow, Teacher of Teachers”

Benjamin Wallace

New York

“The Restaurant Auteur”

Wine and Spirits

Jon Bonné

Saveur

“The New California Wine”

Jon Fine

Food & Wine

“Natural Wine: Weird or Wonderful?”

Alan Richman

GQ

“The Second Bottle”

The winner of Publication of the Year will be announced on May 6, 2011.

[ Back to Top ]

 

2011 James Beard Foundation
Restaurant and Chef Awards

Winners will be announced on May 9, 2011

Best New Restaurant

Presented by Mercedes-Benz

A restaurant opened in 2010 that already displays excellence in food, beverage, and service and is likely to have a significant impact on the industry in years to come.

ABC Kitchen

NYC

Chef/Owner: Jean-Georges Vongerichten

Owner: Phil Suarez

Benu

San Francisco

Chef/Owner: Corey Lee

Girl & the Goat

Chicago

Chef/Owner: Stephanie Izard

Owners: Kevin Boehm and Rob Katz

Menton

Boston

Chef/Owner: Barbara Lynch

Torrisi Italian Specialties

NYC

Chefs/Owners: Mario Carbone and Rich Torrisi

Outstanding Chef Award

Presented by All-Clad Metalcrafters

A working chef in America whose career has set national industry standards and who has served as an inspiration to other food professionals. Candidates must have been working as chefs for at least the past 5 years.

José Andrés

minibar

Washington, D.C.

Gary Danko

Restaurant Gary Danko

San Francisco

Suzanne Goin

Lucques

Los Angeles

Paul Kahan

Blackbird

Chicago

Charles Phan

The Slanted Door

San Francisco

Outstanding Pastry Chef Award

Presented by All-Clad Metalcrafters

A chef or baker who prepares desserts, pastries, or breads and who serves as a national standard-bearer for excellence. Candidates must have been pastry chefs or bakers for at least the past 5 years.

Joanne Chang

Flour Bakery + Café

Boston

Patrick Fahy

Blackbird

Chicago

Dahlia Narvaez

Osteria Mozza

Los Angeles

Angela Pinkerton

Eleven Madison Park

NYC

Mindy Segal

Mindy's HotChocolate

Chicago

Outstanding Restaurant Award

A restaurant in the United States that serves as a national standard-bearer for consistent quality and excellence in food, atmosphere, and service. Candidates must have been in operation for at least 10 or more consecutive years.

Blue Hill

NYC

Chef/Owner: Dan Barber

Owners: David Barber and Laureen Barber

Boulevard

San Francisco

Chef/Owner: Nancy Oakes

Owner: Pat Kuleto

Eleven Madison Park

NYC

Owner: Danny Meyer

Highlands Bar and Grill

Birmingham, AL

Chef/Owner: Frank Stitt

Owner: Pardis Stitt

Vetri

Philadelphia

Chefs/Owners: Marc Vetri and Jeff Benjamin

Outstanding Restaurateur Award

A working restaurateur who sets high national standards in restaurant operations and entrepreneurship. Candidates must have been in the restaurant business for at least 10 years. Candidates must not have been nominated for a James Beard Foundation chef award in the past 10 years.

Bruce Bromberg and Eric Bromberg

Blue Ribbon Restaurants

NYC

Tom Douglas

Dahlia Bakery, Dahlia Lounge, Etta’s, Lola, Palace Kitchen, Seatown Seabar & Rotisserie, and Serious Pie

Seattle

Pat Kuleto

Boulevard, Epic Roasthouse, Farallon, Jardinière, Martini House, Nick’s Cove, and Waterbar

San Francisco

Richard Melman

Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises

Chicago

Phil Suarez

ABC Kitchen, Co., Gigino Trattoria, Gigino Wagner Park, Jean Georges, JoJo, J&G Steakhouse, Market, The Mark Restaurant by Jean Georges, Mercer Kitchen, Perry St, Pipa, Prime Steakhouse, Spice Market and wd~50

Various Cities

Outstanding Service Award

Presented by Stella Artois

A restaurant that demonstrates high standards of hospitality and service. Candidates must have been in operation for at least the past 5 years.

Canlis

Seattle

Owners: Brian Canlis and Mark Canlis

Emeril’s

New Orleans

Chef/Owner: Emeril Lagasse

La Grenouille

NYC

Owners: Charles Masson and Gisèle Masson

Per Se

NYC

Chef/Owner: Thomas Keller

Topolobampo

Chicago

Chef/Owner: Rick Bayless

Outstanding Wine and Spirits Professional Award

Presented by Southern Wine & Spirits of New York

A winemaker, brewer or spirits professional who has had a significant impact on the wine and spirits industry nationwide. Candidates must have been in the profession for at least 5 years.

Sam Calagione

Dogfish Head Craft Brewery

Milton, DE

Merry Edwards

Merry Edwards Winery

Sebastopol, CA

Paul Grieco

Hearth

NYC

Rajat Parr

Mina Group

San Francisco

Julian P. Van Winkle, III

Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery

Louisville, KY

Outstanding Wine Service Award

A restaurant that displays and encourages excellence in wine service through a well-presented wine list, a knowledgeable staff, and efforts to educate customers about wine. Candidates must have been in operation for at least 5 years.

A16

San Francisco

Wine Director: Shelley Lindgren

Blackberry Farm

Walland, TN

Wine Director: Andy Chabot

Frasca Food and Wine

Boulder, CO

Wine Director: Bobby Stuckey

Picasso at Bellagio

Las Vegas

Wine Director: Robert Smith

The Modern

NYC

Wine Director: Belinda Chang

Rising Star Chef of the Year Award

A chef age 30 or younger who displays an impressive talent and who is likely to have a significant impact on the industry in years to come.

Aaron London

Ubuntu

Napa, CA

Thomas McNaughton

flour + water

San Francisco

Gabriel Rucker

Le Pigeon

Portland, OR

Christina Tosi

Momofuku Milk Bar

NYC

Sue Zemanick

Gautreau’s

New Orleans

Best Chefs in America

Presented by Groupon

Chefs who have set new or consistent standards of excellence in their respective regions. Each candidate may be employed by any kind of dining establishment and must have been a working chef for at least the past 5 years. The 3 most recent years must have been spent in the region where the chef is presently working.

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

Michael Carlson

Schwa

Chicago

Curtis Duffy

Avenues at the Peninsula

Chicago

Bruce Sherman

North Pond

Chicago

Paul Virant

Vie

Western Springs, IL

Alex Young

Zingerman’s Roadhouse

Ann Arbor, MI

Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic (D.C., DE, MD, NJ, PA, VA)

Cathal Armstrong

Restaurant Eve

Alexandria, VA

Johnny Monis

Komi

Washington, D.C.

Peter Pastan

Obelisk

Washington, D.C.

Maricel Presilla

Cucharamama

Hoboken, NJ

Michael Solomonov

Zahav

Philadelphia

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

Justin Aprahamian

Sanford

Milwaukee

Isaac Becker

112 Eatery

Minneapolis

Colby Garrelts

Bluestem

Kansas City, MO

Tory Miller

L’Etoile

Madison, WI

Lenny Russo

Heartland

St. Paul, MN

Best Chef: New York City (Five Boroughs)

Michael Anthony

Gramercy Tavern

April Bloomfield

The Spotted Pig

Wylie Dufresne

wd~50

Gabrielle Hamilton

Prune

Michael White

Marea

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

Tim Cushman

o ya

Boston

Krista Kern Desjarlais

Bresca

Portland, ME

Gerry Hayden

The North Fork Table & Inn

Southold, NY

Matt Jennings

La Laiterie

Providence

Tony Maws

Craigie On Main

Cambridge, MA

Eric Warnstedt

Hen of the Wood

Waterbury, VT

Best Chef: Northwest (AK, ID, MT, OR, WA, WY)

Matt Dillon

Sitka & Spruce

Seattle

Christopher Israel

Grüner

Portland, OR

Andy Ricker

Pok Pok

Portland, OR

Ethan Stowell

Staple & Fancy Mercantile

Seattle

Cathy Whims

Nostrana

Portland, OR

Best Chef: Pacific (CA, HI)

Michael Cimarusti

Providence

Los Angeles

Christopher Kostow

The Restaurant at Meadowood

St. Helena, CA

Daniel Patterson

COI

San Francisco

Richard Reddington

Redd

Yountville, CA

Michael Tusk

Quince

San Francisco

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

Zach Bell

Café Boulud at the Brazilian Court

Palm Beach, FL

John Harris

Lilette

New Orleans

Christopher Hastings

Hot and Hot Fish Club

Birmingham, AL

Tory McPhail

Commander’s Palace

New Orleans

Stephen Stryjewski

Cochon

New Orleans

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

Hugh Acheson

Five and Ten

Athens, GA

Craig Deihl

Cypress

Charleston, SC

John Fleer

Canyon Kitchen at Lonesome Valley

Cashiers, NC

Linton Hopkins

Restaurant Eugene

Atlanta

Edward Lee

610 Magnolia

Louisville, KY

Andrea Reusing

Lantern

Chapel Hill, NC

Best Chef: Southwest (AZ, CO, NM, NV, OK, TX, UT)

Bruce Auden

Biga on the Banks

San Antonio

Bryan Caswell

Reef

Houston

Saipin Chutima

Lotus of Siam

Las Vegas

Tyson Cole

Uchi

Austin, TX

Ryan Hardy

Montagna at the Little Nell

Aspen, CO

[ Back to Top ]

 

2011 James Beard Foundation Who's Who
of Food & Beverage in America Inductees

This honor is awarded to individuals in the U.S. food and beverage industry who have made significant and lasting achievements and contributions to their profession.

Jonathan Gold

Writer, LA Weekly

Los Angeles

Lee Jones

Farmer/Owner, Chef’s Garden

Huron, OH

Charles Phan

Chef/Owner, The Slanted Door

San Francisco

Frank Stitt

Chef/Owner, Highlands Bar and Grill

Birmingham, AL

Nick Valenti

CEO, Patina Restaurant Group

NYC

[ Back to Top ]

 

2011 James Beard Foundation
America’s Classics Awards

Presented by The Coca-Cola Company

Restaurants with timeless appeal, beloved in their regions for quality food that reflects the character of their community. Establishments must have been in existence at least 10 years and be locally owned.

Chef Vola’s

111 South Albion Place, Atlantic City, NJ

Owners: Louise Esposito, Michael Esposito, Michael Esposito Jr., Louis Esposito

Some believe that Chef Vola’s, operating in the basement of a former boarding house since 1921, is hard to get into, that you need to know someone, that Louise Esposito, the woman who answers the once-unlisted telephone number, screens applicants for a table.

Urban legend. Fact is, all are welcome. Once here, you’re family. A single serving of the peerless veal chop, done parm-style, feeds, maybe, six. The red gravy is revered, as is the veal swathed in Prosciutto. Ditto the cannellini-green bean salad crowned by cubes of provolone and salami. Frank Sinatra once said he wanted to be buried with one of Chef Vola’s banana cream pies.

In 1982, the Esposito family bought the restaurant from the Vola clan. Today, Louise, along with her husband Michael, and sons Michael, Jr. and Louis, work the kitchen and the dining room, an always-humming space in which a Naples-born grandma would feel at home.

Customers make pilgrimages to eat at Chef Vola’s. They come for the people. They come for the food, for dishes that serve as standard-bearers of an Italian-American culinary tradition that may be more loved in the heart of the Mid-Atlantic than anywhere else.

—Andy Clurfeld (Asbury Park Press)

Crook’s Corner

610 West Franklin Street, Chapel Hill, NC

Owner: Gene Hamer

Hubcaps decorate the flanks of the corner building on the fringe of this college town. A pink fiberglass pig stands atop the roof. The dining room does double duty as an art gallery. From the bar, you may order a cracker plate, piled with house-made pimento cheese, and a block of cream cheese smeared with pepper jelly.

Since 1982, when restaurateur Gene Hamer and chef Bill Neal opened the doors, Crook’s Corner has carried the torch of regional foodways, employing and inspiring a generation of young culinary talent—including two James Beard Award-winning chefs.

Bill Neal was one of the first American chefs to explore the cultural import of the regional food he worked to revive. He brought academic rigor and provincial pride to the professional restaurant kitchens of the region.

Since Neal’s untimely death in 1991, Gene Hamer has served as the restaurant’s steward, while Bill Smith has overseen the kitchen, cooking iconic Crook’s dishes like shrimp and grits, hoppin’ John, jalapeno hushpuppies, and persimmon pudding. In more recent years, Smith has added his own flourishes, including house-corned ham and honeysuckle sorbet.

—Christiane Lauterbach (Atlanta Magazine)

Noriega Restaurant and Hotel

525 Sumner St., Bakersfield, CA

Owners: Linda Elizalde McCoy and Rochelle Ladd

The Noriega Restaurant and Hotel has been the hub of Kern County Basque culture since Faustino Noriega opened its doors in 1893. In 1931 the Elizalde family took over, and has run the restaurant ever since. Originally founded as a home-away-from-home for shepherds, today the institution showcases the Basque culture of California’s San Joaquin Valley.

Located in a warehouse district just east of downtown, the Noriega has a façade that could be mistaken for a neighborhood bar. A jai-alai court (a form of Basque handball) is built into the structure. Parties are individually called into the dining room, where they take their places at long tables covered in checkered oilcloth.

The dinner that ensues is always multi-coursed and abundant, but it is a generosity marked by great care. The tongue is pickled in-house and thin-sliced. The roast leg of lamb, served on Fridays, is herb-flecked and tender. Big wedges of creamy blue cheese close the meal.

With very fair pricing (children are only charged a dollar per year up to age 12) a meal at the Noriega is accessible to all. What you get is a dinner that is invariably marked by the simmered note of home cooking, a glimpse into a community that has played an important role in this agricultural region for over a century, and a sense, through seasoning and ingredients, of how a people adapted to a new culture while being true to its own.

—Patric Kuh (Los Angeles Magazine)

Le Veau d’Or

129 East 60th Street, NYC

Owner: Robert Tréboux

The diminutive French bistro Le Veau d’Or in Midtown is a time capsule. There’s the classic French fare, straight out of Escoffier; the formal but clubby décor, all beveled glass and polished mahogany; and the amiable owner, Monsieur Tréboux, who chats up the regulars, pours drinks behind the bar, and ferries dishes from the kitchen.

Le Veau d’Or (The Golden Calf) opened in 1937; Tréboux—who is now in his 80s and runs the restaurant with his daughter, Cathy—bought it in 1985, after a career working in many of the neighborhood’s now bygone French restaurants.

In its heyday, Le Veau d’Or was a celebrity haunt. Grace Kelly met Oleg Cassini there, and food critic Craig Claiborne called it the one restaurant he couldn’t live without. Although Tréboux’s clientele has changed over the years, the food is as traditional and delicious as ever.

The affordable table d’hôte menu, which includes an appetizer, entrée, and dessert, offers such classics as coq au vin, cassoulet, boeuf à la bourguignonne, and céleri rémoulade. On any day of the week, you can get an excellent trout meunière and a stellar terrine du chef. All that said, this isn’t the kind of place where the chef takes center stage. If anyone’s a star here, it’s Tréboux.

—James Oseland (Saveur)

Watts Tea Shop

761 N. Jefferson Street, Milwaukee

President and CEO: Sam Watts

George Watts & Son is a fifth-generation downtown Milwaukee business that celebrated its 140th anniversary in 2010. The store’s first floor is devoted to an astounding inventory of china, glassware, flatware, linens and tchotchkes. Most of the building’s second floor is home to its well-mannered restaurant, Watts Tea Shop.

The restaurant’s roots date back to the mid-1920s, when then-owner Howard Watts built a beautiful new building to house his family business. His great-grandson, 31-year-old Sam Watts, is now the store’s president. The tea shop became a beloved destination among generations of Milwaukee devotees and it remains a quiet mainstay of the downtown lunch scene.

Many of the dishes follow recipes that have been used since the 1930s, including the soft whole-wheat bread, the English muffins, and the olive-nut and chicken salad finger sandwiches. The star of the show, legacy recipe-wise, is Sunshine Cake, a spectacular three-layer lemon chiffon extravagance that’s filled with lemon curd, slathered in a thick seven-minute icing, and garnished with an edible flower.

“These kinds of retail-restaurant operations are often a break-even proposition at best,” Watts said recently. “But the tea shop has been our saving grace during this economic downturn. We not might have been able to weather the storm were it not for the 100 or so people coming into our store every day to have lunch. It has been our godsend.”

—Rick Nelson (Star Tribune)

[ Back to Top ]

 

2011 James Beard Foundation
Lifetime Achievement Award

The Lifetime Achievement Award is given to an individual whose lifetime body of work has had a positive and long-lasting impact on the way we eat, cook, and/or think about food in America.

Kevin Zraly

Kevin Zraly’s passion for wine and his uncanny ability to translate the world of wine into a fun and approachable subject have led him to become one of the world’s leading wine educators and best-selling wine authors. He began his career as a waiter and bartender at John Novi’s Depuy Canal House restaurant, and later journeyed to vineyards both here and abroad. After moving to New York City and a chance meeting Chef Barbara Kafka and legendary restaurateur Joe Baum in 1976, Kevin became cellar master and eventually wine director for the renowned Windows on the World restaurant atop the World Trade Center. By 2000, Windows was the country’s top-grossing restaurant, and with Kevin at the reins of its renowned wine program from the day it opened to its final tragic day, September 11, 2001, it had sold more wine than any restaurant in the country.

It was also at Windows that Kevin established his Windows on the World Wine School, which is still going strong today. There, Kevin, a born communicator with quick wit, high energy and an engaging style, demystifies wine for his students, stripping away intimidation and pretension and making it accessible to all. Now in its 35th year, this perpetually sold out course is held at the Marriott Marquis in Times Square and has won the praises of wine experts around the world. To date, more than 20,000 people have graduated from the Windows on the World Wine School, from wine novices and aficionados to top chefs and culinary professionals. In 1985, Kevin decided to translate his classes onto the pages of a book, distilling his years of wine travel and knowledge into Windows on the World Complete Wine Course. Like his classes, the book offered an unprecedented depth of information presented in an easy-to-understand style, taking readers on a worldwide journey from grape to glass. It became a runaway success that has since been lauded by some of the world’s most respected wine writers. Every year, Kevin updates the book with additional wine recommendations and lessons, and in 2009, he celebrated its 25th anniversary edition. With a 2012 edition soon on its way, Windows on the World Complete Wine Course has become the #1 best-selling wine book in the world, with more than three million copies sold to date. In Kevin’s hands, learning about wine is (almost) as fun as it is to drink.

Kevin has been the recipient of many prestigious awards and accolades, including the 2006 Wine Literary Award, the European Wine Council’s Lifetime Achievement Award, the 1993 James Beard Foundation Outstanding Wine and Spirits Professional Award, the Food and Beverage Association’s Man of the Year Award and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Society of Wine Educators. Kevin is a member of Culinary Institute of America’s Board of Trustees, author of Kevin Zraly’s American Wine Guide (the only book that covers wine in all 50 U.S. states) and the newly-released The Ultimate Wine Companion: The Complete Guide to Understanding Wine by the World’s Foremost Wine Authorities, moderator of the Sherry-Lehmann/Kevin Zraly Master Wine Classes and Wine Club in New York City, and co-creator (with Robert Parker) of the Parker & Zraly Wine Certification Program on eRobertParker.com.

2011 James Beard Foundation
Humanitarian of the Year

The Humanitarian of the Year award is given to an individual or organization working in the realm of food who has given selflessly and worked tirelessly to better the lives of others and society at large.

FareStart

FareStart provides a community that transforms lives by empowering homeless and disadvantaged men, women, and families to achieve self-sufficiency through life skills, job training and employment in the food service industry. The company was founded by David Lee, a chef and entrepreneur, who in 1988 recognized the need to provide Seattle’s disadvantaged and homeless populations with healthy and nutritious food. David first launched a for-profit business called Common Meals, and in 1992, after years of working out of small church kitchens, found a kitchen large enough to meet his needs and the needs of the growing homeless population. There, he began to train the very people he was serving, providing homeless individuals with the opportunity to work and to contribute to their own community and FareStart was born.

FareStart, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit company, has established a variety of training programs that provide invaluable lessons and educational resources to the local population. The Adult Culinary Job Training and Placement Program provides a free 16-week course that includes culinary training, counseling, life-skills classes, housing, food and clothing. Students have the opportunity to give back, beginning their first day by preparing food that’s delivered to local homeless shelters and low-income daycare centers. FareStart’s Graduate Support Services program provides ongoing guidance to adult graduates, including health care assistance, housing, counseling and job searches to help individuals move forward to self-sufficiency. Through a collaborative effort with YouthCare, a Seattle organization dedicated to ending youth homelessness, FareStart launched its Youth Barista Training and Education Program in 2003, offering runaway, homeless and street youth ages 16–23 with on-the-job training, life skills classes, counseling and the opportunity to build a better future for themselves. On a national scale, FareStart established Catalyst Kitchens in 2010, working with a network of 125 nonprofit companies and partner organizations across the nation to help develop their programming, finding solutions to unemployment and food scarcity. In addition, FareStart’s own businesses have helped to generate over half of the organization’s annual operating revenue. Some of these ventures include Guest Chef Night, during which premier local chefs work with FareStart students to create a gourmet meal at FareStart’s on-site restaurant, with revenue and gratuities directly benefitting the training program. The FareStart Café @ 2100 is the on-the-job training site for the youth program and is open to the public, while FareStart Catering offers services for a variety of occasions and FareStart Contract Meals provides 2,080 meals daily to childcare centers, homeless shelters and seniors.

Over the past 19 years, FareStart has provided opportunities for nearly 5,000 people to transform their lives, while also serving over 4.5 million meals to disadvantaged men, women, and children. In 2010 alone, FareStart provided training opportunities to over 260 people, provided referral services to over 700 homeless individuals, graduated more than 130 individuals and at the same time increased business sales by 10%. More importantly, FareStart’s graduates are getting hired and continuing their education, and last year, over 80% of adult graduates secured employment while 80% of youth graduates either gained employment or went back to school. 2011 sees FareStart launching several initiatives to further raise awareness and meet the growing needs of the community, continuing to create countless opportunities and impact thousands of lives for the better.

[ Back to Top ]