Finalists for 2025 James Beard Awards Include 5 L.A. Restaurants and Chefs
Daniel Castillo, Heritage Barbecue, San Juan Capistrano, CaliforniaJon Yao, Kato, Los Angeles, California
Gusto Bread, Long Beach, California
Strong Water, Anaheim, California
Tobin Shea, Redbird, Los Angeles, California
L.A. is known for its diverse and eclectic food scene. The city has always been revered as a culinary powerhouse and this year's representation in the list of finalists shows its growing influence on the country's culinary scene. However, the James Beard Foundation has not gone without controversy. In 2020, staff members of the foundation sent a letter requesting better pay and a greater emphasis on diversity and equity within the company and leadership team. The leaked letter, that can be found here, led to the 2020 and 2021 awards being cancelled.The Foundation addressed the issue by conducting an internal review and making the voting process more inclusive and also altering the Best Chef category to operate regionally allowing for a more diverse range of talent to be honored. The awards are introducing a new award this year called the 2025 Impact Award. This award honors organizations dedicated to a 'more equitable, sustainable, and economically viable restaurant industry and food system,' according to the JBF website. The 2025 James Beard Awards will be presented June 16 and held at the Lyric Opera House of Chicago.
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Modern figures like Jay Shetty or Gabby Bernstein have replicated aspects of the Rhonda Byrne business model, monetising mindfulness, manifestation, or spiritual insight via digital memberships, workshops, and product sales. Why the Rhonda Byrne business model may become a Harvard case study Given its unique blend of ideology, IP management, media strategy, and emotional marketing, the Rhonda Byrne business model offers a rich case study for American business schools. It intersects key subjects: branding, publishing economics, cultural psychology, and platform monetisation. In many ways, it's a model of soft power capitalism, where personal transformation fuels commercial transactions. Conclusion: Rhonda Byrne and the monetisation of belief in America's digital spiritual economy Rhonda Byrne's billion-dollar success was never just about The Secret —it was about strategically packaging belief for a country where hope sells. Her brand preceded the modern wellness boom, prefigured the influencer monetisation playbook, and created a repeatable framework for how spiritual ideas can thrive in America's digital economy. Like Calm or Headspace, Byrne built a business not from tangible products, but from an emotional and cognitive experience. The difference? She did it before mobile apps or Instagram ever existed. As U.S. consumers continue to spend billions on spiritual self-help, Rhonda Byrne's model remains a blueprint for monetising metaphysics—one that continues to shape the future of belief-driven capitalism in America. This article is intended for informational and editorial purposes only. It does not constitute endorsement or promotion of any individual, company, or entity mentioned. Business Upturn makes no representations or warranties regarding the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information provided.
