James Beard Foundation

The James Beard Foundation is an American nonprofit organization, based in New York City and established in 1986 in honor of the cookbook author and teacher James Beard. It administers the annual James Beard Awards. Their Restaurant and Chef Awards include regional Best Chef categories, among them California, Great Lakes, Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, Mountain, New York State, Northeast, and Northwest and Pacific. Each cycle opens with a free call for recommendations from the public and the industry. Under an Awards Committee and its subcommittees, a voting body of committee members and judges then chooses semifinalists, nominees and winners, and Foundation staff members do not vote.

jamesbeard.org

Distinctions it gives

• America's Classicsaward
• Best Chef: Californiaaward · California
• Best Chef: Great Lakesaward · Great Lakes (IL, IN, MI, OH)
• Best Chef: Mid-Atlanticaward · Mid-Atlantic (DC, DE, MD, NJ, PA, VA)
• Best Chef: Midwestaward · Midwest (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD, WI)
• Best Chef: Mountainaward · Mountain (CO, ID, MT, UT, WY)
• Best Chef: New York Stateaward · New York State
• Best Chef: Northeastaward · Northeast (CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT)
• Best Chef: Northwest and Pacificaward · Northwest and Pacific (AK, HI, OR, WA)
• Best Chef: Southaward · South (AL, AR, FL, LA, MS, PR)
• Best Chef: Southeastaward · Southeast (GA, KY, NC, SC, TN, WV)
• Best Chef: Southwestaward · Southwest (AZ, NM, NV, OK)
• Best Chef: Texasaward · Texas
• Best New Baraward
• Best New Restaurantaward
• Emerging Chefaward
• Humanitarian of the Year Awardhonor
• Lifetime Achievement Awardhonor
• Outstanding Bakeryaward
• Outstanding Baraward
• Outstanding Chefaward
• Outstanding Hospitalityaward
• Outstanding Pastry Chef or Bakeraward · Pastry
• Outstanding Professional in Beverage Serviceaward · Beverage
• Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Serviceaward · Cocktail
• Outstanding Restaurantaward
• Outstanding Restaurateuraward
• Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Programaward · Beverage