
2025 James Beard Award Winners: Best Chefs, Restaurants & Bars
Last month, the James Beard Foundation held its annual Restaurant and Chef Awards at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, marking 35 years of what many consider the highest honor in American dining. While the night crowned standout chefs and restaurants across the country, what stayed with many wasn't just who won—it was what they chose to say once they got on stage.
While the spotlight was on national and regional winners across categories like Outstanding Chef, Best New Restaurant, and Best Bar, the evening also made space for something more grounded: the America's Classics—a set of honors given to longtime, locally loved, independently owned restaurants that reflect the culinary identity of their communities. You can read more about this year's America's Classics honorees here.
But for now, here's a look at this year's standout wins across the national Restaurant and Chef categories.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JUNE 16: Jungsik Yim winner of the Outstanding Chef award speaks on stage during ... More the 2025 James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards on June 16, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo byfor James Beard Foundation) Getty Images for James Beard Foundation
Jungsik Yim, the celebrated chef behind his eponymous fine-dining Korean restaurant in Manhattan's Tribeca neighborhood, took home the Outstanding Chef award. Known for blending modernist techniques with deep-rooted Korean flavors, Yim has helped expand the definition of what luxury dining can look and taste like in the U.S.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JUNE 16: Bobby Stuckey winner of Outstanding Restaurant award speaks on stage ... More during the 2025 James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards on June 16, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo byfor James Beard Foundation) Getty Images for James Beard Foundation
Located in Boulder, Colorado, Frasca Food and Wine has earned national acclaim for its Northern Italian–inspired cuisine and exacting hospitality. The restaurant, co-founded by master sommelier Bobby Stuckey and chef Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson, has become a benchmark for service-driven excellence outside the expected coastal cities.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JUNE 16: Jeanie Janas Ritter winner of the Best New Restaurant award speaks on ... More stage during the 2025 James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards on June 16, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo byfor James Beard Foundation) Getty Images for James Beard Foundation
Minneapolis's Bûcheron was named Best New Restaurant of 2025. Helmed by chef Christopher Nye, the French-inspired spot stands out for its intimate, ingredient-driven menu and quiet confidence. In a year where many new restaurants leaned into maximalism, Bûcheron's restraint and sense of place set it apart. Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker: Cat Cox (Country Bird Bakery, Tulsa, OK)
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JUNE 16: Cat Cox winner of the Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker award speaks on ... More stage during the 2025 James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards on June 16, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo byfor James Beard Foundation) Getty Images for James Beard Foundation
Cat Cox of Country Bird Bakery in Tulsa, Oklahoma, was recognized for her work as a baker and pastry chef, one of the few honorees this year to work outside a traditional restaurant setting. Her naturally leavened breads and seasonal pastries have drawn national attention to Tulsa's growing food scene. Outstanding Bakery: JinJu Patisserie (Portland, OR)
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JUNE 16: (L-R) Jin Caldwell and Kyurim Lee winners of the Outstanding Bakery ... More award speak on stage during the 2025 James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards on June 16, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo byfor James Beard Foundation) Getty Images for James Beard Foundation
This year's Outstanding Bakery award went to JinJu Patisserie, a jewel-box bakery in Portland known for its meticulous viennoiserie, elegant pastries, and refined, architectural approach to dessert. Founded by pastry chef Jin Caldwell and her partner, Kyurim 'Q' Lee, the bakery has earned a national reputation for its attention to detail and artistic presentation.
While Portland has long been recognized as a haven for independent bakeries, JinJu's win underscores the growing national attention toward pastry-forward shops operating outside of major coastal cities. Outstanding Bar: Kumiko (Chicago, IL)
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JUNE 16: Julia Momosé winner of the Outstanding Bar award speaks on stage during ... More the 2025 James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards on June 16, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo byfor James Beard Foundation) Getty Images for James Beard Foundation
Chicago's Kumiko was named Outstanding Bar this year, a win that recognized not just its cocktail program but the intention behind it. Led by bartender and owner Julia Momosé, Kumiko is known for drinks that are precise, expressive, and deeply personal, rooted in Japanese tradition but built for the moment. It's the kind of place that reminds you a bar can be more than just a backdrop.
This year also marked the debut of three new beverage categories: Best New Bar, Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service, and Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service—a sign that the Beard Foundation is starting to take bars, and the people who run them, more seriously. The Theme That Kept Surfacing
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JUNE 16: Jon Yao winner of the Best Chef: California award speaks on stage ... More during the 2025 James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards on June 16, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo byfor James Beard Foundation) Getty Images for James Beard Foundation
One of the most consistent themes of the night was the immigrant story. Across three hours of speeches and introductions, the word immigrant surfaced 27 times—roughly once every seven minutes. And of the 15 moments where it appeared, 12 came directly from award recipients themselves.
Some honorees spoke plainly about their own beginnings. 'Los Angeles is a city built by the toils of immigrant communities… now being ripped apart,' warned John Yao, accepting Best Chef: California for his work at Kato. Some honorees turned their gratitude outward. 'I want to thank every immigrant that works for us,' said Chef Cindy Wolf of Charleston in Baltimore, accepting the award for Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program. 'We all know that in our business we are nothing without immigrants… We are better for immigrants, and we support you so much. I love every Latino that works for me from the bottom of my heart.'
And then there were those who widened the lens. Arjav Ezekiel, winner of Outstanding Beverage Service for Birdie's in Austin, named his life 'the story of undocumented immigration and its many subplots.' After describing years of fear, hiddenness, and labor done in the shadows, he closed with a line that brought the room to stillness:
'My undocumented journey ends here—but the fight doesn't.'
These weren't side comments. They were the pulse of the evening—woven into speeches, made visible on the stage.
And the numbers back it up–according to a recent report from the National Restaurant Association, 46% of chefs and 31% of cooks are foreign-born, compared to 18% of waitstaff. Even among restaurant managers, nearly one in four were born outside the U.S. Kitchens are also the most linguistically diverse workplaces in the industry, with half of chefs speaking a language other than English at home.
The medallions handed out that night may honor excellence, but the labor they represent has long been global and often invisible. That gap between recognition and reality was the story the night kept circling back to, whether through a speech, a name, or the quiet refrain that ran beneath it all. About the James Beard Foundation
The James Beard Foundation's Restaurant and Chef Awards recognize excellence across the hospitality industry, with a mission rooted in 'Good Food for Good®.' In addition to celebrating culinary innovation and leadership, the Foundation expanded its recognition this year to include new beverage categories, while continuing its long-standing commitment to uplifting community-rooted restaurants through the America's Classics honors.
You can view the full list of 2025 James Beard Award winners on the official James Beard Foundation website.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


New York Post
2 minutes ago
- New York Post
How Ozzy Osbourne wanted to be remembered before his death at 76
Ozzy Osbourne knew exactly how he wanted his memory to live on. Prior to his death at age 76, the legendary rocker said 'survival is my legacy' during a 2022 interview with People. The Black Sabbath frontman confirmed his Parkinson's diagnosis in 2020. Osbourne had also undergone multiple surgeries in recent years, including going under the knife for a debilitating spinal injury in 2019. Advertisement 'I mean, I'm 73. People go, 'Well, you're 70… why don't I throw the towel in?' Why should I? People still want to buy my records,' he told the outlet at the time. 'People still want to see me, so why should I? It motivates me to get off my backside and do something. I mean, if my career had gone down the toilet and I knew it was the end, I'd be pretty miserable.' Osbourne also detailed how he wants others to interpret his legacy. 8 Ozzy Osbourne of Black Sabbath. Redferns Advertisement 8 Singer Ozzy Osbourne of the British heavy metal band Black Sabbath performs in 1974 in Los Angeles, California. Michael Ochs Archives 'Never give up,' the Grammy winner stated. 'If you've got a passion for something, you've got to find a way around it to carry on the passion.' In 2018, Osbourne touched on being a two-time Hall of Famer, telling The Guardian: 'I'd like to be remembered for the work I did with Black Sabbath. I'm so proud of the music. But to be honest, just being remembered would be an achievement to me.' He added, 'I come from Aston in Birmingham, y'know? I used to play on bombsites… There's a guy living in the house I grew up in, and they charge people £200 to sleep in the bedroom I had as a kid.' Advertisement 8 Ozzy Osbourne at the Moscow Music Peace Festival in 1989. Getty Images Osbourne's family confirmed his death to The Post on Tuesday, sharing, 'It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning. He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family's privacy at this time.' Two years before his passing, the star got candid on his ailments. 'It's been five years of absolute hell for me and the family,' Osbourne said on 'Piers Morgan Uncensored' in Sept. 2023. Advertisement 8 Ozzy Osbourne visits the SiriusXM Studios on December 11, 2014. Getty Images 'My family has been so supportive,' he continued. 'I couldn't have done it without them. It's been really a bad scene.' The rocker, who was diagnosed in 2003, shared: 'I have Parkinson's — but I never think about it.' Jack Osbourne, who was at the interview with his mom Sharon and sister Kelly, told Morgan, 60, that the 'biggest misconception' about his dad's condition was that Parkinson's was his only health challenge. 8 Tommy Clufetos, Geezer Butler, Ozzy Osbourne, and Tony Iommi perform onstage as Black Sabbath on 'The End Tour' at Nikon at Jones Beach Theater on August 17, 2016. WireImage 'It's really the neck injury and the fall that he took,' Jack, 39, explained about the Prince of Darkness. In 2019, the late star fell and suffered a major neck injury that required surgery. He previously hurt his neck in 2000 during a bike crash. 'I just got up and carried on but I had broken my neck, and I carried on working with it until I had that fall, and then just everything came undone,' he explained. Advertisement Sharon, 72, also revealed how her husband's health challenges affected her. 8 Geezer Butler, Bill Ward, Ozzy Osbourne and Tony Iommi pose backstage during Black Sabbath Reunion Press Conference at The Whisky a Go Go on November 11, 2011. WireImage 'It changes your whole life,' she confessed. 'Suddenly you're off in another direction and your life changes so drastically. It's really hard. For the last five years, our life has changed dramatically.' 'But on the other hand,' Sharon noted, 'it's great that I've had Ozzy at home for five years. He's driving me crazy, but we've been together everyday for five years.' Advertisement In 2023, the musician canceled his tour three months before it was scheduled to kick off due to health complications. 8 Jack Osbourne, Aimee Osbourne, Kelly Osbourne, Sharon Osbourne and Ozzy Osbourne attend the premiere of 'Little Nicky' on November 2, 2000. Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images 8 Ozzy Osbourne in Birmingham, Wednesday, July 23, 2025. AP The heavy metal icon told Rolling Stone at the time that he had 'at best, ten years left' to live. Advertisement 'I don't fear dying,' he said. 'But I don't want to have a long, painful and miserable existence. I like the idea that if you have a terminal illness, you can go to a place in Switzerland and get it done quickly. I saw my father die of cancer.' Two weeks prior to his death, the reality television alum performed at Black Sabbath's 'Back to the Beginning' farewell concert. He couldn't walk on his own anymore, sat in a black leather chair and performed for the crowd at Villa Park. The legendary hitmaker sang five songs solo, and was then accompanied by his former bandmates Tony Iommi, Bill Ward and Geezer Butler for four final Black Sabbath tunes.


Forbes
2 minutes ago
- Forbes
Local Watch Shows On The Rise: Aspen Watch Week Free To Public
Watch Week Aspen, A. Lange & Sohne event in 2024. In recent years, the watch world has witnessed an increase in grassroots exhibitions and shows – across America. From WatchTime New York's show – begun 10 years ago – to Worn & Wound's Wind Up fairs, watch collectors have a host of shows to choose from. Now, Watch Week Aspen – started just a year ago – is on the 'watch' list. Taking place from August 7 to 9, 2025, and free to the public, the show offers a host of highlights that include special-release watches, experiences and panel discussions. Watch lovers can expect experiences, education, interactive demonstrations and watches during Watch ... More Week Aspen from August 7-10, 2025. This year, more than 17 luxury brands are participating and offering curated experiences alongside retail partners. From A. Lange & Sohne to IWC, Audemars Piguet, Gerald Charles, Bremont and Norqain on the brand side to Betteridge, Oliver Smith Jeweler and others on the retail side, the Rocky Mountain event is gearing up to welcome locals, tourists and watch lovers from all around the area. Some brands are bringing in watchmakers for live demonstrations, while others are presenting new limited editions. Bremont is even offering an early morning hike with brand ambassador, adventurer and photographer Jimmy Chin. Norqain Skeleton Chronograph Jade watch is one of many that will be on display during Watch Week ... More Aspen, and visitors can join the brand for a Pickleball hangout with an Olympian. Essentially, the three-day event, presented by Oliver Smith Jeweler, the Aspen Chamber Resort Association and other local retailers, begins on Thursday with Moritz Grossmann showcasing a curated selection of pre-owned and limited-edition pieces, and continues with exploration of the legendary Gerald Genta via a presentation by Gerald Charles. Later Zenith USA president, Ellen Sorensen will showcase the brand's 160th anniversary collection and Audemars Piguet will give an inside look at the complex perpetual calendar. Day two and three promise more indulgences that include a technology and material presentation from Omega, a private viewing of German brand A. Lange & Sohne's highlight pieces, an IWC showcase at Meridian Jewelers and a Norqain-hosted pickleball hangout session with Olympian Alex Ferreira at Oliver Smith Jewelers, among other events. Each day concludes with a variety of cocktail receptions. The event is open to the public and free, but organizers suggest registering ahead of time to claim a space at preferred events and for the excursions. For more information about the event, visit Watch Week Aspen. According to Elizabeth Smith, founder of Watch Week Aspen and the managing director at Oliver Smith Jeweler, 'Aspen is a watch lover's paradise. There are so many unique retailers and brands represented here that it seemed only natural to establish an event that celebrates this special place and our shared passion—wristwatches.'


Geek Tyrant
2 minutes ago
- Geek Tyrant
RESIDENT EVIL Reboot Director Promises Movie Will Feel Like the Games — GeekTyrant
The Resident Evil franchise has been a staple in the horror gaming world for decades, terrifying fans with everything from classic zombies to creepy mold-infected families. Over the years, Hollywood has tried to adapt the series with mixed results. Now, Zach Cregger, the filmmaker behind Barbarian and the upcoming Weapons , is taking a swing at the franchise with a brand-new reboot. While details about the new Resident Evil movie are still under wraps, it's expected to start filming soon and hit theaters next fall. Fans have been curious about what direction Cregger will take, especially since previous adaptations have drifted far from the source material. During an interview with ComicBook, Cregger opened up about why he wanted to take on the project—and his answer should get longtime fans hyped. The filmmaker said: 'Because I love the games. I played all of the games. I played Resident Evil 4 a hundred times through. I'm obsessed with it. And so, I just want to tell a story that feels like it's honoring the experience you get when you play the games. 'I haven't seen the movies, that's just not my thing. But the games are my thing. That's just a playground I just love….I think the movie is going to rip. I think it's going to rip.' It's wild to think Cregger hasn't seen any of the previous Resident Evil films, but honestly, that might work in his favor. The previous movies were financially successful, sure, but they were messy and often unrecognizable to fans of the games. You can see Cregger passion for the series and there's no doubt that he's aiming to capture the real Resident Evil experience on the big screen. He's also hinted that while the movie will take some liberties with the lore, the goal is authenticity. Recent rumors suggest the story might take place on the outskirts of Raccoon City during the events of Resident Evil 2 and 3, as an outbreak plays a big part in the plot. The new Resident Evil movie is set to hit theaters on September 18, 2026, and if Cregger's enthusiasm is any indication, this could finally be the adaptation fans have been waiting for.