Amy ScattergoodThe James Beard awards are the food equivalent of the Oscars: prestigious golden whatsits, fancy dress event, silly acceptance speeches, requisite grouching about the whole thing being rigged. Oh, yes, and lots of highly talented people getting much-deserved recognition. This year's awards ceremony took place earlier this evening at Avery Fisher Hall in New York, with Alton Brown officiating. Hey, this year they even lit up the Empire State building in James Beard's favorite colors to celebrate the event. Imagine if they did that to Disney Hall.
On Friday, the Beard Foundation announced the book, broadcast and journalism awards, with Nathan Myhrvold's Modernist Cuisine winning Cookbook of the Year. Michael Ruhlman won in the General Cooking category for Ruhlman's Twenty; and Paula Wolfert in the International category for The Food of Morocco. Food52 and Gastronomica won for Publication of the Year. In local news, Los Angeles magazine's Lesley Bargar Suter won for Food Coverage in a General-Interest Publication.
And tonight? (Drumroll, etc.) Matt Molina (Osteria Mozza) won Best Chef: Pacific. Although others from L.A. were nominated, Molina was this town's sole winner in the chef and restaurant categories. Congrats, Matt. In news outside this town, Boulevard in San Francisco won Outstanding Restaurant, Daniel Humm of New York City's Eleven Madison Park won Outstanding Chef, Christina Tosi of Momofuku Milk Bar won Rising Star Chef of the Year, Seattle's Tom Douglas won Outstanding Restaurateur, and Mindy Segal of Mindy's HotChocolate in Chicago won Outstanding Pastry Chef. Turn the page for a complete list of winners.
2012 James Beard Foundation Chef and Restaurateur Awards
Best New Restaurant
Next (Chicago, Illinois)
Outstanding Bar Program
PDT (New York City)
Outstanding Chef
Daniel Humm, Eleven Madison Park (New York City)
Outstanding Pastry Chef
Mindy Segal, Mindy's Hot Chocolate (Chicago, Illinois)
Outstanding Restaurant
Boulevard (San Francisco, California)
Outstanding Restaurateur
Tom Douglas, Tom Douglas Restaurants (Seattle, Washington)
Outstanding Service
La Grenouille (New York City)
Outstanding Wine Program
No. 9 Park (Boston, Massachusetts)
Outstanding Wine & Spirits Professional
Paul Grieco, Terroir (New York City)
Rising Star Chef of the Year
Christina Tosi, Momofuku Milk Bar (New York City)
Best Chef: Great Lakes
Bruce Sherman, North Pond (Chicago, Illinois)
Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic
Maricel Presilla, Cucharamama (Hoboken, New Jersey)
Best Chef: Midwest
Tory Miller, L'Etoile (Madison, Wisconsin)
Best Chef: Northeast
Tim Cushman, O Ya (Boston, Massachusetts)
Best Chef: Northwest
Matt Dillon, Sitka & Spruce (Seattle, Washington)
Best Chef: NYC
Michael Anthony, Gramercy Tavern
Best Chef: Pacific
Matt Molina, Osteria Mozza (Los Angeles, California)
Best Chef: South
Chris Hastings, Hot and Hot Fish Club (Birmingham, Alabama)
Best Chef: Southeast (a tie between two)
Hugh Acheson, Five and Ten (Athens, Georgia)
Linton Hopkins, Restaurant Eugene (Atlanta, Georgia)
Best Chef: Southwest
Paul Qui, Uchiko (Austin, Texas)
Who's Who of Food & Beverage in America Inductees
Grant Achatz, chef and author (Chicago, Illinois)
Mark Bittman, journalist and author (New York City)
Dana Cowin, editor and journalist (New York City)
Emily Luchetti, pastry chef and author (San Francisco, California)
Marvin Shanken, publisher (New York City)
America's Classics Award
The Fry Bread House (Phoenix, Arizona)
Nora's Fish Creek Inn (Wilson, Wyoming)
St Elmo Steak House (Indianapolis, Indiana)
Jones Bar-B-Q Diner (Marianna, Arkansas)
Shady Glen (Manchester, Connecticut)
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
(The Cooking Lab)
Cookbook Hall of Fame
Laurie Colwin
Home Cooking and More Home Cooking
American Cooking
A New Turn in the South: Southern Flavors Reinvented for Your Kitchen
by Hugh Acheson
(Clarkson Potter)
Baking and Dessert
Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams at Home
by Jeni Britton Bauer
(Artisan)
Beverage
Bitters: A Spirited History of a Classic Cure-All, with Cocktails, Recipes, & Formulas
by Brad Thomas Parsons
(Ten Speed Press)
Cooking from a Professional Point of View
Modernist Cuisine
by Nathan Myhrvold with Chris Young and Maxime Bilet
(The Cooking Lab)
General Cooking
Ruhlman's Twenty
by Michael Ruhlman
(Chronicle Books)
Focus on Health
Super Natural Every Day: Well-Loved Recipes from My Natural Foods Kitchen
by Heidi Swanson
(Ten Speed Press)
International
The Food of Morocco
by Paula Wolfert
(Ecco)
Photography
Notes from a Kitchen: A Journey Inside Culinary Obsession
Artist/Photographer: Jeff Scott
(Tatroux)
Reference and Scholarship
Turning the Tables: Restaurants and the Rise of the American Middle Class, 1880-1920
by Andrew P. Haley
(The University of North Carolina Press)
Single Subject
All About Roasting
by Molly Stevens
(W.W. Norton & Company)
Writing and Literature
Blood, Bones & Butter: The Inadvertent Education of a Reluctant Chef
by Gabrielle Hamilton
(Random House)
2012 James Beard Foundation Design and Graphics Awards
Outstanding Restaurant Design
Design Firm: Bentel & Bentel Architects
Project: Le Bernardin, New York City
Outstanding Restaurant Graphics
Design Firm: Pandiscio Co.
Designer: Richard Pandiscio
Project: The Americano at Hôtel Americano, New York City
2012 James Beard Foundation Journalism Awards
Publications of the Year
Amanda Hesser and Merrill Stubbs
Food52
Darra Goldstein
Gastronomica
Cooking, Recipes, or Instruction
Anna Thomas
EatingWell
“The Soup for Life”
Environment, Food Politics, and Policy
Ben Paynter
Fast Company
“The Sweet Science”
Food Coverage in a Food-Focused Publication
Saveur
James Oseland
Food Coverage in a General-Interest Publication
Lesley Bargar Suter
Los Angeles
“Chinese Food in L.A.,” “It's Time for Breakfast in L.A,” “Food Lovers Guide”
Food Culture and Travel
Fuchsia Dunlop
The Financial Times
“Global Menu: Kicking Up a Stink”
Food-Related Columns
Lettie Teague
The Wall Street Journal
On Wine: Lettie Teague: “Drink, Memory: How to Remember that Wine;” “In Praise of the One-Cabernet Lunch;” “May I recommend: Lessons of Great Sommeliers”
Group Food Blog
The Salt: NPR's Food Blog
Maria Godoy
npr.org/blogs/thesalt
Health and Well-Being
Maureen O'Hagan
The Seattle Times
“Feeling the Weight: The Emotional Battle to Control Kids' Diet”
Humor
Brett Martin
GQ
“The Hangover Part III”
Individual Food Blog
Poor Man's Feast
Elissa Altman
Poormansfeast.com
“Craving the Food of Depravity”
Personal Essay
Cal Fussman
Esquire.com
“Drinking at 1,300 Ft: A 9/11 Story About Wine and Wisdom”
Profile
Susan Choi
Food & Wine
“The Spice Wizardry of Lior Lev Sercarz”
Visual Storytelling
Landon Nordeman
Saveur
“Soul of Sicily,” “BBQ Nation,” “Heart of the Valley”
Wine, Spirits, and Other Beverages
Sarah Karnasiewicz
Imbibe
“Fizzy Business”
Craig Claiborne Distinguished Restaurant Review Award
Alan Richman
GQ
“The Very Tasty Liberation of Paris,” “I Heart SF,” “Diner for Schmucks”
MFK Fisher Distinguished Writing Award
John T. Edge
Saveur
“BBQ Nation”
2012 James Beard Foundation Broadcast Media Awards
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
Eattv.com
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
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