2012 James Beard Foundation winners

2012 James Beard Foundation winners
2012 James Beard Foundation winners

2012 James Beard Foundation winners

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James Beard Foundation 25th anniversary cake by Duff Goldman (photo by Michael Harlan Turkell, courtesy James Beard Foundation)

Next, Bruce Sherman of North Pond, and Mindy Segal of HotChocolate all won big last night at the 25th annual James Beard Foundation Restaurant and Chef Awards, which livestreamed from Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center in New York City.

“Covering all aspects of the industry—from chefs and restaurateurs to cookbook authors and food journalists to restaurant designers and architects and more—the Beard Awards are the highest honor for food and beverage professionals working in North America,” says the Foundation.

Next won Best New Restaurant (“A restaurant opened in 2011 that already displays excellence in food, beverage, and service and is likely to have a significant impact on the industry in years to come.”) over AQ in San Francisco, Fiola in Washington, D.C., Isa, and Tertulia—the last two in New York City. Executive Chef Dave Beran accepted the award with chef/owner Grant Achatz and owner Nick Kokonas.

Sixth time’s the charm for new both Best Chef Great Lakes Sherman and Outstanding Pastry Chef Segal. Sherman prevailed this year over Michael Carlson of Schwa, Stephanie Izard of Girl & the Goat, Anne Kearney of Rue Dumaine in Dayton, OH, and Andrew Zimmerman of Sepia. Segal faced national competition from Joanne Chang of Flour Bakery + Café in Cambridge, MA; Melissa Chou of Aziza in San Francisco; Hedy Goldsmith of Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink in Miami; Dahlia Narvaez of Osteria Mozza in Los Angeles; and Ghaya Oliveira of Boulud Sud in New York City.

The JBF also recognized Charlie Trotter as Humanitarian of the Year. (BTW I hope he takes over his Twitter feed someday so we can get some real Charlie Trotter Raw.)

Achatz was also one of five inducted this year into the Who’s Who of Food and Beverage in America, with journalist Mark Bittman, editor Dana Cowin, pastry chef Emily Luchetti, and publisher Marvin Shanken.

WBEZ’s own Fear of Frying: Culinary Nightmares hosted by Nina Barrett and produced by Jason Marck won the Radio Show/Audio Webcast category in the JBF Book, Broadcast, and Journalism Awards held the last Friday night at Gotham Hall also in New York City. Fellow finalists included, also from WBEZ, Worldview‘s “From Bread Lines to Revolution: The Role of Food in the Arab Uprisings” hosted by Jerome McDonnell and produced by Alexandra Salomon and Joe Linstroth; and The Sporkful hosted and produced by Dan Pashman and Mark Garrison.

I spoke with Nina briefly yesterday about winning the Beard.

“He’s in my purse,” she said, “I already think of him as JB.”

And the series.

“I always tell people, don’t read them on the website. Just click the listen to the story button. These food stories are meant to be listened to.”

The James Beard Foundation says, “Each award category has an individual Awards Committee made up of industry professionals who volunteer their time to oversee the policies, procedures, and selection of judges for their respective Awards program. All award winners receive a certificate and a medallion engraved with the James Beard Foundation Awards insignia.”

“There are no cash prizes.”

And not everyone’s a fan. Anthony Bourdain, a vocal critic of the JBF, shooting on location in Brazil, tweeted last night:

“..and to introduce our 3 minute musical homage to multiculturalism, special guest Jan Brewer!”

2012 James Beard Foundation Restaurant and Chef Awards

Best Chef Great Lakes: Bruce Sherman, North Pond, Chicago

Best Chef Mid-Atlantic: Maricel Presilla, Cucharamama, Hoboken, NJ

Best Chef Midwest: Tory Miller, L’Etoile, Madison, WI

Best Chef NYC: Michael Anthony, Gramercy Tavern

Best Chef Northwest: Matt Dillon, Sitka & Spruce, Seattle

Best Chef Pacific: Matt Molina, Osteria Mozza, Los Angeles

Best Chef Northeast: Tim Cushman, O Ya, Boston

Best Chef South: Chris Hastings, Hot and Hot Fish Club, Birmingham, AL

Best Chef Southeast: (tie) Hugh Acheson, Five and Ten, Athens, GA and Linton Hopkins, Restaurant Eugene, Atlanta

Best Chef Southwest: Paul Qui, Uchiko, Austin, TX

Best New Restaurant: Next, Chicago

Outstanding Wine, Beer, or Spirits Professional: Paul Grieco, Terroir, NYC

Outstanding Wine Program: No. 9 Park, Boston

Outstanding Bar Program: PDT, NYC

Outstanding Service: La Grenouille, NYC

Outstanding Pastry Chef: Mindy Segal, Mindy’s HotChocolate, Chicago

Outstanding Restaurateur: Tom Douglas, Tom Douglas Restaurants, Seattle

Rising Star Chef of the Year: Christina Tosi, Momofuku Milk Bar, NYC

Outstanding Restaurant: Boulevard, San Francisco

Outstanding Chef: Daniel Humm, Eleven Madison Park, NYC

America’s Classics:

The Fry Bread House, Phoenix

Nora’s Fish Creek Inn, Wilson, WY

St. Elmo Steakhouse, Indianapolis

Jones B-B-Q Diner, Mariana, AR

Shady Glen, Manchester, CT

Who’s Who of Food and Beverage in America Inductees:

Grant Achatz, Chef and Author, Chicago

Mark Bittman, Journalist and Author, NYC

Dana Cowin, Editor and Journalist, NYC

Emily Luchetti, Pastry Chef and Author, San Francisco

Marvin Shanken, Publisher, NYC

Lifetime Achievement: Wolfgang Puck

Humanitarian of the Year: Charlie Trotter

2012 James Beard Foundation Book, Broadcast, and Journalism Awards

Cookbook of the Year: Modernist Cuisine by Nathan Myhrvold with Chris Young and Maxime Bilet (publisher The Cooking Lab)

Cookbook Hall of Fame: Laurie Colwin for Home Cooking and More Home Cooking

American Cooking: A New Turn in the South: Southern Flavors Reinvented for Your Kitchen by Hugh Acheson (publisher Clarkson Potter)

Baking and Dessert: Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams at Home by Jeni Britton Bauer (publisher Artisan)

Beverage: Bitters: A Spirited History of a Classic Cure-All, with Cocktails, Recipes, & Formulas by Brad Thomas Parsons (publisher Ten Speed Press)

Cooking from a Professional Point of View: Modernist Cuisine by Nathan Myhrvold with Chris Young and Maxime Bilet (publisher The Cooking Lab)

General Cooking: Ruhlman’s Twenty by Michael Ruhlman (publisher Chronicle Books)

Focus on Health: Super Natural Every Day: Well-Loved Recipes from My Natural Foods Kitchen by Heidi Swanson (publisher Ten Speed Press)

International: The Food of Morocco by Paula Wolfert (publisher Ecco)

Photography: Notes from a Kitchen: A Journey Inside Culinary Obsession; Artist/Photographer: Jeff Scott; publisher Tatroux)

Reference and Scholarship: Turning the Tables: Restaurants and the Rise of the American Middle Class, 1880–1920 by Andrew P. Haley (publisher The University of North Carolina Press)

Single Subject: All About Roasting by Molly Stevens (publisher W.W. Norton & Company)

Writing and Literature: Blood, Bones & Butter: The Inadvertent Education of a Reluctant Chef by Gabrielle Hamilton (publisher Random House)

Outstanding Restaurant Design: Bentel & Bentel Architects, Le Bernardin, NYC

Outstanding Restaurant Graphics: Pandiscio Co., The Americano at Hôtel Americano, NYC

Publications of the Year: Amanda Hesser and Merrill Stubbs for Food52 and Darra Goldstein for Gastronomica

Cooking, Recipes, or Instruction: Anna Thomas in EatingWell for “The Soup for Life

Environment, Food Politics, and Policy: Ben Paynter in Fast Company for “The Sweet Science

Food Coverage in a Food-Focused Publication: Saveur, Editor-in-Chief James Oseland

Food Coverage in a General-Interest Publication: Lesley Bargar Suter in Los Angeles for “Chinese Food in L.A.,” “It’s Time for Breakfast in L.A.,” and “Food Lovers Guide

Food Culture and Travel: Fuchsia Dunlop in The Financial Times for “Global Menu: Kicking Up a Stink

Food-Related Columns: Lettie Teague in The Wall Street Journal for On Wine: Lettie Teague, “Drink, Memory: How to Remember that Wine,” “In Praise of the One-Cabernet Lunch,” and “May I recommend: Lessons of Great Sommeliers

Group Food Blog: The Salt: NPR’s Food Blog, Senior Editor Maria Godoy

Health and Well-Being: Maureen O’Hagan in The Seattle Times for “Feeling the Weight: The Emotional Battle to Control Kids’ Diet

Humor: Brett Martin in GQ for “The Hangover Part III

Individual Food Blog: Poor Man’s Feast by Elissa Altman for “Craving the Food of Depravity

Personal Essay: Cal Fussman on Esquire.com for “Drinking at 1,300 Ft: A 9/11 Story About Wine and Wisdom

Profile: Susan Choi in Food & Wine for “The Spice Wizardry of Lior Lev Sercarz

Visual Storytelling: Landon Nordeman in Saveur for “Soul of Sicily,” “BBQ Nation,” and “Heart of the Valley

Wine, Spirits, and Other Beverages: Sarah Karnasiewicz in Imbibe for “Fizzy Business

Craig Claiborne Distinguished Restaurant Review Award: Alan Richman in GQ for 

The Very Tasty Liberation of Paris,” “I Heart SF,” and  “Diner for Schmucks

MFK Fisher Distinguished Writing Award: John T. Edge in Saveur for “BBQ Nation

Radio Show/Audio Webcast: Fear of Frying: Culinary Nightmares; Host: Nina Barrett; Area: WBEZ; Producer: Jason Marck

Special/Documentary (Television or Video Webcast): A Matter of Taste: Serving Up Paul Liebrandt; Network: HBO; Producers: Sally Rowe, Rachel Mills, and Alan Oxman

Television Program, In Studio or Fixed Location: Chopped; Host: Ted Allen; Network: Food Network; Producers: Linda Lea, Dave Noll, and Vivian Sorenson

Television Program, On Location: Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern; Host: Andrew Zimmern; Network: Travel Channel; Producer: Andrew Zimmern

Television Segment: CBS News Sunday Morning; Host: Martha Teichner; Network: CBS; Producers: Lauren Barnello, Jon Carras, Edward Forgotson, Patrick Lee, and David Small

Video Webcast: eatTV with Jamie Tiampo; Host: Jamie Tiampo; Producers: Suzanne Glickstein, Jimmy McCoy, and Jamie Tiampo

Media Personality/Host (Television or Video Webcast): Host: Ted Allen; Show: Chopped; Network: Food Network