/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/54570759/james_beard_foundation_awards_medal.0.jpg)
There were semifinalists, then finalists, and finally winners: Tonight during a ceremony in Chicago, the James Beard Foundation announced and feted the 2017 awards recipients in the chef and restaurant categories. James Beard Foundation Awards are one of the highest honors in the American hospitality industry.
It was a big night for Philadelphia’s Michael Solomonov, who took home the Outstanding Chef award, and for Stephen Starr, acknowledged with the Outstanding Restaurateur award and also a Best New Restaurant win for his NYC hotspot Le Coucou. New Orleans emerged as a repeat winner: Shaya’s Zachary Engel took home the Rising Star Chef award; Arnaud’s French 75 Bar finally won for Outstanding Bar Program; and Herbsaint’s Rebecca Wilcomb earned a regional Best Chef medal. In the Outstanding Restaurant category, chef Rick Bayless’s Topolobampo was an unexpected winner, with most prognosticating suggesting the win would go to NYC’s Momofuku Noodle Bar or SF’s Quince.
Here now, the full list of winners (media award winners were announced last week).
2017 James Beard Foundation Restaurant and Chef Awards Winners
Best New Restaurant: Le Coucou, NYC
Outstanding Baker: Mark Furstenberg, Bread Furst, Washington, D.C.
Outstanding Bar Program: Arnaud’s French 75 Bar, New Orleans
Outstanding Chef: Michael Solomonov, Zahav, Philadelphia
Outstanding Pastry Chef: Ghaya Oliveira, Daniel, NYC
Outstanding Restaurant: Topolobampo, Chicago
Outstanding Restaurateur: Stephen Starr, Starr Restaurants, Philadelphia (Le Coucou, Serpico, Upland, and others)
Outstanding Service: Blue Hill at Stone Barns, Pocantico Hills, NY
Outstanding Wine Program: Canlis, Seattle
Outstanding Wine, Spirits, or Beer Professional: Sam Calagione, Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Milton, DE
Rising Star Chef of the Year: Zachary Engel, Shaya, New Orleans
Outstanding Restaurant Design, 75 Seats and Under: Avroko for Single Thread, Healdsburg, CA
Outstanding Restaurant Design, More Than 75 Seats: Meyer Davis for St. Cecilia, Atlanta
BEST CHEFS, REGIONAL CATEGORIES
Best Chef: Great Lakes (IL, IN, MI, OH): Sarah Grueneberg, Monteverde, Chicago
Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic (D.C., DE, MD, NJ, PA, VA): Greg Vernick, Vernick Food & Drink, Philadelphia
Best Chef: Midwest (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD, WI): Kevin Nashan, Sidney Street Cafe, St. Louis
Best Chef: New York City: Marco Canora, Hearth
Best Chef: Northeast (CT, MA, ME, NH, NY State, RI, VT): Andrew Taylor and Mike Wiley, Eventide Oyster Co., Portland, ME
Best Chef: Northwest (AK, ID, MT, OR, WA, WY): Greg Denton and Gabrielle Quiñónez Denton, Ox, Portland, OR
Best Chef: South (AL, AR, FL, LA, MS, Puerto Rico): Rebecca Wilcomb, Herbsaint, New Orleans
Best Chef: Southeast (GA, KY, NC, SC, TN, WV): Steven Satterfield, Miller Union, Atlanta
Best Chef: Southwest (AZ, CO, NM, OK, TX, UT): Hugo Ortega, Hugo’s, Houston
Best Chef: West (CA, HI, NV): Corey Lee, Benu, San Francisco
2017 James Beard Foundation America’s Classics
Honorees were previously announced.
La Taqueria, San Francisco
Sahadi’s, Brooklyn
Schultz’s Crab House, Maryland
Gioia’s Deli, St. Louis
Bertha’s Kitchen, North Charleston
2017 James Beard Foundation Who's Who of Food & Beverage in America Inductees
Suzanne Goin
Evan Kleiman
Roger Berkowitz
Michel Nischan
Rajat Parr
2017 James Beard Foundation Humanitarian of the Year
Denise Cerreta, One World Everybody Eats
2017 James Beard Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award
Nora Pouillon, Restaurant Nora (Washington, DC)