James Beard Foundation Award

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The James Beard Foundation Awards were established in 1990 and are often called "The Oscars of Food." [1]

Held on the first weekend in June, formerly held in May, the Awards ceremony honors the finest chefs, restaurants, journalists, cookbook authors, restaurant designers, and electronic media professionals in the country.

More than 600 culinary professionals are involved in the voting process. Recipients receive a bronze medallion etched with the image of the late James Beard as well as a certificate from the Foundation, but no cash prizes. [2]

More than 1,600 people attended the 2007 awards reception at New York's Lincoln Center. [3]

[edit] 2007 Winners[4]:

Chef: Michel Richard, Michel Richard Citronelle, Washington, DC
Wine and Spirits Professional: Paul Draper, Ridge Vineyards, Cupertino, Calif.
Great Lakes Chef: Grant Achatz, Chicago
Mid-Atlantic Chef: R.J. Cooper III, Vidalia, and Frank Ruta, Palena, both in Washington, D.C.
Midwest Chef: Celina Tio, The American Restaurant, Kansas City, Mo.
New York City Chef: David Waltuck, Chanterelle
Northeast Chef: Frank McClelland, L'Espalier, Boston
Northwest Chef: John Sundstrom, Lark, Seattle
Pacific Chef: Traci Des Jardins, Jardiniere, San Francisco
Southeast Chef: Scott Peacock, Watershed, Decatur, Ga.
Southwest Chef: Nobuo Fukuda, Sea Saw, Scottsdale, Ariz.
South Chef: Donald Link, Herbsaint, New Orleans.
Restaurateur: Thomas Keller, The French Laundry, Yountville, CA
Pastry Chef: Michael Laiskonis, Le Bernardin, New York, NY
Restaurant: Frontera Grill, Chef/Owner: Rick Bayless and Deann Bayless, Chicago, IL
New Restaurant: L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon, Chef/Owner: Joël Robuchon, New York, NY
Wine Service: Mark Slater, Michel Richard Citronelle, Washington, DC
Service: Rick Tramonto, Gale Gand, and Richard Melman, Tru, Chicago, IL
Rising Star Chef of the Year: David Chang, Momofuku Noodle Bar, New York, NY

[edit] America's Classics

Although the awards tend to focus on upscale dining in large cities, since 1998 there has been an "America's Classics" category which honors legendary family-owned restaurants across the country. The "America's Classics" winners routinely draw the biggest applause of the night at the awards ceremony. Past winners are:

1998
Durgin Park, Boston, MA
Second Avenue Deli, New York, NY (Was closed at one point)
Doris & Ed's, Highlands, NJ
Original Stroud's, Kansas City, MO
Joe's Stone Crab, Miami Beach, FLA
Joe T. Garcia's, Ft. Worth, TX
Tadich Grill, San Francisco, CA
Emmett Watson's Oyster Bar, Seattle, WA

1999
The Berghoff, Chicago, IL (was closed, but re-opened)
Café Pasqual's, Santa Fe, NM
Doumar's, Norfolk, VA
Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana, New Haven, Conn.
Mosca's, Avondale, LA.
Original Pancake House, Portland, OR
Philippe the Original, Los Angeles, CA
The Oyster Bar at Grand Central Terminal, New York, NY

2000
Camp Washington Chili, in Camp Washington, Cincinnati, Ohio.
Helena Hawaiian Foods, Oahu HI
Mario's, Bronx, NY
Moosewood Restaurant, Ithaca, NY
Mrs. Wilkes Dining Room, Savannah, GA
The Original Sonny Bryan's, Dallas, TX
White House Sub Shop, Atlantic City, NJ
Swan Oyster Depot, San Francisco, CA

2001
Versailles, Miami, FL
Waterman’s Beach Lobster, South Thomaston, ME
H&H Carwash & Restaurant, El Paso, TX
Langer’s Deli & Restaurant, Los Angeles, CA

2002
Ray's Boathouse, Seattle, WA
Marconi's, Baltimore, MD (Now closed)
Three Brothers Serbian Restaurant, Milwaukee, WI
Peter Luger Steak House, Brooklyn, NY

2003
Duarte's Tavern, Pescadero, CA
Anchor Bar, Buffalo, NY
The Skylight Inn, Ayden, NC
Lexington #1, Lexington, NC
The Shed, Santa Fe, NM

2004
Sam Choy's Kaloko, Kailua-Kona, HI
The Prime-Burger, New York, NY
Ben's Chili Bowl, Washington DC
Al's Breakfast, Minneapolis, MN

2005
Yuca’s, Los Angeles, CA
Charlie’s Sandwich Shoppe, Boston, MA
Willie Mae’s Scotch House, New Orleans, LA
El Chorro Lodge, Paradise Valley, AZ

2006
Barney Greengrass, New York, NY
Bowens Island Restaurant, Charleston, SC
Hamura's Saimin Stand, Kauai, HI
John's Roast Pork, Philadelphia, PA
Lagomarcino', Moline, IL
Louie Mueller BBQ, Taylor, TX
Polly's Pancake Parlor, Sugar Hill, NH
Taylor's Automatic Refresher, St. Helena, CA

2007
Primanti Brothers, Pittsburgh, PA
The Pickwick, Duluth, MN
Doe's Eat Place, Greenville, MS
Aunt Carrie's, Narragansett, RI
Brookville Hotel, Abilene, KS
Weaver D's, Athens, GA