Birdie's Arjav Ezekiel takes home James Beard
Birdie's co-owner and wine pro Arjav Ezekiel beat out talent from across the country to take home a prestigious James Beard Award on Monday.
Why it matters: The Beards are like the Oscars for the American hospitality industry, and win can be a huge boost in business for restaurants.
Driving the news: Ezekiel won in the new Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service category.
It's one of three new categories focused on beverages at the James Beard Awards.
What they're saying:"It feels like a big win for our city," Ezekiel told Axios at the ceremony in Chicago. "I think people assume Austin is a cocktail city, but we're very fast becoming a wine city."
Between the lines: Birdie's continues to be a standout in Austin's culinary scene, and Ezekiel was Austin's only finalist at this year's awards.
The restaurant's chef and co-owner, Tracy Malechek-Ezekiel, was a finalist in the Best Texas Chef category last year.
Zoom out: Houston's Belly of the Beast chef Thomas Bille nabbed the title of Best Chef in Texas, beating out four other finalists in the regional category.
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