Edouardo Jordan's Historic Victory Highlights 2018 James Beard Winners

Monday night’s James Beard Foundation Awards turned out to be a historic night. Among the big winners was Edouardo Jordan, whose JuneBaby took home Best New Restaurant, making him the first African-American chef in the Awards’ 28-year history to receive the honor. He also garnered the prize of Best Chef: Northwest for his acclaimed Seattle eatery Salare.

As reported by The Seattle Times, Jordan had this to say after accepting the award. “I stand in the shadows of chef Patrick Clark, chef Rodney Scott, chef Nina Compton, chef Dolester Miles, chef Marcus Samuelsson, chef Leah Chase, and all the other chefs that never made it to this stage, but they’ve been pounding their knives against the walls and their cutting boards, and we finally cracked through … This is a beautiful time in our industry, that we’re able to capture the beautiful color and pictures that actually have made American cuisine—the food and the history.”

The annual awards were handed out at Lyric Opera of Chicago.

Here is the full list of winners:

2018 James Beard Foundation Outstanding Restaurant Design Awards

For the best restaurant design or renovation in North America since January 1, 2015.

75 Seats and Under
Firm: The MP Shift

Designers: Amy Morris, Anna Polonsky, and Julie Nerenberg

Project: De Maria, NYC

76 Seats and Over
Firms: Aidlin Darling Design with a l m project

Designers: Joshua Aidlin, David Darling, Adam Rouse, and Andrea Lenardin Madden

Project: In Situ, San Francisco

Design Icon

The American Restaurant
Kansas City, MO

2018 James Beard Foundation Restaurant and Chef Awards

Best New Restaurant

A restaurant opened in the calendar year before the award will be given that already displays excellence in food, beverage, and service, and that is likely to make a significant impact in years to come.

JuneBaby, Seattle

Outstanding Baker

A chef or baker who prepares breads, pastries, or desserts in a retail bakery, and who serves as a national standard-bearer of excellence. Must have been a baker or pastry chef for at least five years.

Belinda Leong and Michel Suas, B. Patisserie, San Francisco

Outstanding Bar Program

A restaurant or bar that demonstrates excellence in cocktail, spirits, and/or beer service.

Cure, New Orleans

Outstanding Chef

A working chef in America whose career has set national industry standards and who has served as an inspiration to other food professionals. Eligible candidates must have been working as a chef for the past five years.

Gabrielle Hamilton, Prune, NYC

Outstanding Pastry Chef

A chef or baker who prepares desserts, pastries, or breads in a restaurant, and who serves as a national standard bearer of excellence. Must have been a pastry chef or baker for the past five years.

Dolester Miles, Highlands Bar & Grill, Birmingham, AL

Outstanding Restaurant

A restaurant in the United States that serves as a national standard bearer of consistent quality and excellence in food, atmosphere, and service. Eligible restaurants must have been in operation 10 or more consecutive years.

Highlands Bar & Grill, Birmingham, AL

Outstanding Restaurateur

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 five years.

Caroline Styne, The Lucques Group, Los Angeles (Lucques, a.o.c., Tavern, and others)

Outstanding Service

A restaurant in operation five or more years that demonstrates high standards of hospitality and service.

Zuni Café, San Francisco

Outstanding Wine Program

A restaurant in operation five or more years that serves as a standard bearer for excellence in wine service through a well-presented wine list, knowledgeable staff, and efforts to educate customers about wine.

FIG, Charleston, SC

Outstanding Wine, Spirits, or Beer Professional

A beer, wine, or spirits professional who has made a significant national impact on the restaurant industry.

Miljenko Grgich, Grgich Hills Estate, Rutherford, CA

Rising Star Chef of the Year

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

Camille Cogswell, Zahav, Philadelphia

Best Chefs in America

Chefs who have set new or consistent standards of excellence in their respective regions. Eligible candidates may be from any kind of dining establishment and must have been working as a chef for at least five years with the three most recent years spent in the region.

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

Abraham Conlon, Fat Rice, Chicago

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

Jeremiah Langhorne, The Dabney, Washington, D.C.

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

Gavin Kaysen, Spoon and Stable, Minneapolis

Best Chef: New York City (Five Boroughs)

Missy Robbins, Lilia, Brooklyn, NY

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

Karen Akunowicz, Myers + Chang, Boston

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

Edouardo Jordan, Salare, Seattle

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

Nina Compton, Compère Lapin, New Orleans

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

Rodney Scott, Rodney Scott’s BBQ, Charleston, SC

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

Alex Seidel, Mercantile Dining & Provision, Denver

Best Chef: West (CA, HI, NV)

Dominique Crenn, Atelier Crenn, San Francisco

2018 James Beard Foundation Who’s Who of Food & Beverage in America Inductees

Jody Adams
Chef/Owner, TRADE, Porto, and Saloniki
Boston

Lally Brennan and Ti Adelaide Martin
Co-Proprietors, Commander’s Palace
New Orleans

Allison Hooper
Co-Founder, Vermont Creamery
Websterville, VT

Daniel Johnnes
Wine Director, The Dinex Group
New York City, NY

2018 James Beard Foundation America’s Classics (Presented by TABASCO Sauce)

Sun Wah
Chicago, IL
Owners: Kelly Cheng, Laura Cheng and Michael Cheng

Galleria Umberto
Boston, MA
Owners: Paul Deuterio and Ralph Deuterio

Los Hernandez
Union Gap, WA
Owner: Felipe Hernandez

El Guero Canelo
Tucson, AZ
Owner: Daniel Contreras

Dong Phuong Bakery
New Orleans, LA
Owner: Linh Tran Garza