Kyle and Katina Connaughton, Single Thread, Healdsburg, California.Justin Pichetrungsi, Anjak Thai, Sherman Oaks, California.Garagiste Wine Room/Merchant, Las Vegas.Yoli Tortilleria, Kansas City, Missouri.Shawn McKenzie, Café Cerés, Minneapolis.Elaine Uykimpang Bentz, Café Mochiko, Cincinnati.Veronika Baukema, Veronika’s Pastry Shop, Billings, Montana.Margarita Manzke, République, Los Angeles.Amanda Shulman, Her Place Supper Club, Philadelphia.Rashida Holmes, Bridgetown Roti, Los Angeles.Rachel Miller, Nightshade Noodle Bar, Lynn, Massachusetts.Rob Rubba, Oyster Oyster, Washington, DC.Natalia Vallejo of Cocina al Fondo in San Juan, Puerto Rico was named Best Chef in the South, making her the first chef from Puerto Rico to receive the award. Pocknett becomes the first Indigenous woman to win a James Beard award. In the regional Best Chef categories, Junghyun Park of New York Korean tasting menu spot Atomix took home the award for best chef in New York State and Sherry Pocknett of the indigenous restaurant Sly Fox Den Too in Charlestown, Rhode Island received the award for the Northeast. Meanwhile Damarr Brown of Chicago restaurant Virtue was named Emerging Chef, and Yoli, a tortilleria in Kansas City, Missouri, took home the award in a new Outstanding Bakery category. This year, Gregory Gourdet took home the award for Best New Restaurant, with his debut Haitian restaurant Kann in Portland, Oregon. Rob Rubba of sustainability-focused Oyster Oyster in Washington, DC, received the Outstanding Chef award. The night included a number of exciting firsts. At a black-tie ceremony at Chicago’s Lyric Opera on June 5, the James Beard Foundation announced the winners of its Restaurant and Chef Awards. The biggest night in the restaurant world has rolled back around, preceded by plenty of excitement and drama.

Henry moso