Every year, the best of the best in the food world descend upon the Lyric Opera House in Chicago for the annual James Beard Awards. Presented by the James Beard Foundation, the “Oscars of food” present chefs, restaurateurs, and media figures with medals that represent the year’s finest contributions to the way Americans eat and think about food.
But wait a second. Why are we talking about the Oscars of food on a wine-and-movies blog?
Reason Number 1: Awards season is the best season. Moira Rose knows what’s up.
Reason Number 2: In my opinion, food is always wine’s favorite dance partner. Yes, they are delicious individually, but at the end of the day, finding a great food and wine pairing is like experiencing a Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers movie for the first time. There’s just something harmonious about that perfect bite together with the perfect sip.
Reason Number 3: Hospitality and beverage service on the restaurant floor remain key parts of the wine industry. Great chefs and great sommeliers work together every day to create unique dining experiences for everyone that walks through the doors of their restaurant. To understand what is happening in the food world is to celebrate restaurant culture as a whole.
On Saturday, June 8, the James Beard Foundation presented their slate of Media Awards, recognizing the best cookbooks, social media accounts, and documentary films from the past year. Michelle Miller, co-host of CBS Saturday Morning, acted as the Master of Ceremonies for the 2.5-hour ceremony that awarded industry luminaries like José Andrés, Sohla El-Waylly, KJ Kearny, and more.
Mondays are usually a day off for people in the restaurant world, and Monday, June 10 brought the Restaurant and Chef Awards. In a three hour ceremony hosted by Nyesa Arrington, Richard Blais, Amanda Freitag, and Marcus Samuelsson, 22 awards were presented to the best chefs, restaurants, and hospitality programs of the year.
Here are some of my wine-related highlights, and a few additional trends and takeaways from this year’s awards ceremonies:
SOMM TV won the James Beard Award for Visual Media - Long Form for the fourth SOMM documentary (SOMM: Cup of Salvation). This marks SOMM TV’s second award and third nomination in three years, following 2022’s Sparklers (Nominee, Reality or Competition Visual Media) and 2023’s The Whole Animal (Winner, Visual Media - Long Form). Yes, Jason Wise - the filmmaker behind the original SOMM documentary that launched a thousand pins - has now established himself as one of the most trusted voices in wine media.
The Bay Area has walked away from the James Beard Awards ceremonies empty handed for the second year in a row. Two Bay Area-based chefs (Geoff Davis from Burdell in Oakland and Rogelio Garcia of Auro in Calistoga) and two Bay Area beverage destinations (The Morris and Pacific Cocktail Haven, both in San Francisco) were named as finalists in three categories. Mandalay, the first Burmese restaurant to open in San Francisco, was previously announced as one of the winners of 2024 America’s Classics.
If last year’s awards ceremony cemented Portland, Oregon as a major food destination, 2024 has crowned Portland, Maine as your next travel destination for some really good baked goods. Atsuko Fujimoto of Norimoto Bakery won the James Beard Award for Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker, and ZU Bakery won Outstanding Bakery.
Finding the best drinks in the country will involve a trip to the South: Lula Drake Wine Parlour in Columbia, South Carolina is the James Beard Foundation’s pick for Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program, and New Orleans’ Jewel of the South is the Outstanding Bar for 2024.
And, finally, my Best Dressed List…
I want to hear more from you. What are your takeaways from this year’s James Beard Awards? Have you dined at any of the winning restaurants? Are you planning a food trip based on this year’s winners? Let me know in the comments below!
Further Reading
The full list of 2024 James Beard Media Award winners (Eater).
The full list of 2024 James Beard Restaurant and Chef Award winners (Eater).
The full list of all the Latiné chefs and restauranteurs finalists nominated for James Beard Awards this year (Nichole Shaw/Hispanic Entrepeneur).
The Wine Press: The Culinary Oscars 2024