Here's Everything the Bay Area Won at the 2025 James Beard Awards
The James Beard Foundation (JBF) Awards took over Chicago on Monday, June 16. Restaurants and cooks across the country flocked to the Windy City to crown the new royalty of the food world. This year, the San Francisco Bay Area cleaned up, at least in respect to last year's showing. That is, Northern California punched well above its weight in the media categories, which were announced in a ceremony on Saturday, June 14.
Sadly there were zero restaurant and chef finalists that made the jump onto Monday night's podium. Chefs Stuart Brioza and Nicole Krasinski of The Anchovy Bar, The Progress, and State Bird Provisions were snubbed, one of many New York restaurants taking the win instead. Jacob Brown did not take home the gold on behalf of the Mission's Lazy Bear in the Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service category. Neither Richard Lee of Saison nor Kosuke Tada of Mijoté took home the Best Chef: California award. The final nominee Harbor House Inn lost in the Outstanding Hospitality category, too.
Still, the San Francisco Chronicle 's new-ish food critic Mackenzie Chung Fegan won the JBF's Emerging Voice award. Fegan is a San Francisco-grown writer whose family owns local mainstay Henry's Hunan. Most recently, her writing caused a stir for describing the now-infamous Kellergate wherein Thomas Keller pulled her aside at his French Laundry restaurant to lecture her on his qualms with today's food media.
Preeti Mistry won the Audio Programming award for their podcast Loading Dock Talks. Mistry's restaurant Juhu Beach Club was an Oakland smash hit before closing, landing the chef on an episode of Anthony Bourdain's Parts Unknown in 2015. Their weekly conversation-style podcast features Bay Area chefs and cooks discussing their recipes, politics, and more. 'One of the goals of empire is to dehumanize certain groups of people,' Mistry said while accepting their award. 'That means trans folks. That means Palestinians. That means undocumented immigrants. Storytelling and oral history is such a part of humanizing people.'
Wine country restaurant hero Rogelio Garcia took home a win in the 'Professional and Restaurant' category for the JBF's Book Awards. His debut cookbook Convivir: Modern Mexican Cuisine in California's Wine Country, crowns his ascent through Northern California restaurants, including the now-closed SoMa restaurant Luce and his current job at Michelin star-holding Auro in Calistoga.
Since 1991, the James Beard Awards — the 'Oscars of food' — have remained one of the Big Deals in the food industry. The foundation canceled its programming in 2020 and 2021 after allegations of misbehavior and abuse toward nominees, in addition to a dearth of nominated and winning Black chefs in 2020. In 2022, the organization reorganized after internal audits. Unsurprisingly, given how food moves across the planet, the James Beard Awards' speeches this year skewed toward rejecting the anti-immigrant sentiment spreading throughout the United States.
Disclosure: Some Vox Media staff members are part of the voting body for the James Beard Awards. Eater is partnering with the James Beard Foundation to livestream the awards in 2025. All editorial content is produced independently of the James Beard Foundation. See More: San Francisco Restaurant News
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
17 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Meghan Markle reveals the one thing she wishes she could change about her ‘public narrative'
Meghan Markle has expressed her dissatisfaction with how she is perceived by the public. The Duchess of Sussex, who recently concluded the first season of her podcast Confessions of a Female Founder, is set to appear on Emma Grede's Aspire With Emma Grede podcast on Tuesday. In a preview clip, Meghan reflects on how her public perception has shifted, saying it has become 'very different' from what it was during her acting career. The Good American CEO asked the royal what she would do if she could change her image. 'I want to say this to you in the best way, because I wonder: If you could rewrite your public narrative from scratch, is there anything that you would do differently?' she asked her. 'Yes, I would ask people to tell the truth,' the Duchess replied. During the episode, Meghan will also be addressing her viral video she recorded from the delivery room before her daughter Princess Lilibet's birth. She posted the video on Instagram on June 4, in honor of Lilbet's birthday. 'Four years ago today, this also happened. Both of our children were a week past their due dates… so when spicy food, all that walking, and acupuncture didn't work — there was only one thing left to do!' she captioned the post. 'You have to be authentic,' Meghan told Grede in a clip of the podcast shared with People. 'Did you see my 'Baby Momma' dance?' 'We maybe watched it like 20 times yesterday, and I was like, is that, is that her?' Grede replied. 'Is that Prince Harry there with the fingers…I was like, okay…good on Harry, let's go. But that's you, right? Like that's you in a way that we kind of haven't been able to see you before.' 'And I did like a little secret cheer, 'cause I was like, well, that's what I kind of want to see from you. Like I wanna see that happiness and that honesty and that 'I don't give a f***' kind of thing,' she continued. Meghan reiterated how old the video was, telling Grede, 'That was four years ago.' 'So it's also a really great reminder that with all the noise or whatever people do, there's still a whole life — a real, authentic, fun life — that's happening behind the scenes.' She added, 'I'm just grateful that now, being back on social as well, I have a place where I can share it on my own terms.' The full episode of 'Confessions of a Female Founder' will be available to listeners on Tuesday.
Yahoo
21 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Kelly Stafford Argues She's a Better Mom After Taking a Weed Gummy — But Feels ‘Guilty'
Kelly Stafford is convinced taking weed gummies has improved her parenting — but sometimes she feels bad about eating one. 'Gummies are great,' Stafford, 36, declared on the Monday, June 16, episode of her and Hank Winchester's 'The Morning After' podcast. 'Sometimes I feel like gummies make me a better parent. They calm me down.' Kelly, who shares four daughters with husband Matthew Stafford, noted, 'It's like the glass of wine.' Her guest Kit Hoover couldn't agree more, explaining that she calls it 'the glass of patience' because 'by the time you get to bed and bath, it makes you a better parent.' Kelly Stafford Says Her 'Timeout' Podcast Is 'Literally Thanks to Taylor Swift' Kelly, who ate half a gummy toward the end of the podcast episode, thanked Hoover, 54, for her openness and support. 'I feel a little guilty saying it and it's not like I do it every night,' Kelly confessed. 'Sometimes I'm like, 'S***, I've been a long day. I don't want to rip my hair out or their hair out, so I'm going to just top it off with a little gummy.'' Hoover, who has three grown children, told Kelly that she should give herself 'a break' and 'don't sweat that small stuff,' which is a similar message Matthew, 37, has given his wife over the years. Kelly revealed that the Los Angeles Rams quarterback constantly tells her, 'As long as they're in bed, fed and happy and feel loved, who cares how they get there.' She explained that Matthew is 'fine' with her choice to eat a gummy every now and then. 'He also knows when I get on one it can be rough for everybody including him,' Kelly said with a laugh. Kelly Stafford Gets Real About Being Labeled a 'WAG' Throughout Marriage to Rams QB Matthew Stafford Despite feeling better when she does partake in a little recreational weed, Kelly admitted, 'I do feel a little guilt when I do that. But then we laugh. My kids and I laugh, and I feel like they're like, 'Mommy's nice tonight.'' Kelly concluded, 'Some nights I'm really mean, some nights I'm really nice. I feel like it's a good balance.' Kelly and Matthew met in college and tied the knot in April 2015. The couple welcomed their eldest daughters, twins Chandler and Sawyer, in March 2017. Their daughter Hunter followed in August 2018 and daughter Tyler was born in June 2020. As Matthew has continued to make his mark on the NFL — winning one Super Bowl with the Rams in 2022 — Kelly has made headlines for her refreshing and often controversial takes on a variety of topics, including parenting. During the June 5 episode of her podcast, Kelly confessed that she needs 'breaks' from her kids 'just like everyone else does.' She noted that she hit her breaking point after her 4-year-old daughter Tyler insisted over the past few months that she sings 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star' every night at bedtime. Matthew Stafford Gives Jason Kelce Advice Before Welcoming 4th Daughter: 'Buckle Up' 'I tell myself she's not going to ask forever,' Kelly said. 'But I'm f***ing tired. It makes me so sad to say this, but even the extra 15 minutes with her, or 15 seconds, feels long. Which is a horrendous thing to say.' She added, 'I feel like a horrendous mother because she will ask me to do one simple thing before putting her down. I will do it now once every four times.' Kelly confessed, 'I need to remember she's my baby and she's still only 4 years old. I just have to be better with her. And a lot more patience. Because Matthew and I are both losing patience with that one. She just doesn't shut up.' Kelly revealed that she and Matthew had to create a 'rule' that Tyler 'couldn't talk until she ate her dinner,' because she is such a chatterbox. Kelly has previously discussed canceling — and then going forward with — her twins' birthday party after their 'attitude' soured her and Matthew on celebrating.
Yahoo
42 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Doctor accused of supplying Matthew Perry with ketamine agrees to plead guilty, court docs say
One of the doctors accused of supplying Matthew Perry with ketamine has agreed to plead guilty, according to court documents. Federal prosecutors said in a statement that Dr. Salvador Plasencia, of Santa Monica, California, is expected to plead guilty to four counts of distributing ketamine. He could face a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison and a $2 million fine. The Friends actor - who portrayed Chandler Bing in the US show - was found dead on 28 October 2023, aged 54, at his home in the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles. According to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's Office autopsy report, Perry died due to "acute effects" of ketamine and subsequent drowning. Dr. Plasencia, 43, who filed a plea agreement on Monday (16.06.25), will be the fourth person to plead guilty in connection to the late actor's passing. He was set to go on trial in August. The US Attorney's office for the Central District of California said they expect the doctor to enter his plea in the coming weeks. According to the plea agreement, Dr. Plasencia claims he worked with Dr. Mark Chavez - who pleaded guilty, in October, to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine - and sold "twenty 5ml vials of ketamine, less than a full package of ketamine lozenges, and syringes" to the actor's personal assistant Kenneth Iwamasa between September 30, 2023, and October 12, 2023. Chavez previously claimed in his plea agreement that he sold ketamine to Plasencia off-market for Matthew to use. Iwamasa pleaded guilty on August 7 to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine, causing death. Chavez's sentencing is due to take place in September, and Iwamasa's in November. In August, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) clarified to E! News that Plasencia and Chavez had given up their right to advise and authorise the use of a medicine or treatment. Ahead of being arraigned, US Attorney Martin Estrada said about the duo at the time: "These defendants cared more about profiting off of Mr Perry than caring for his well-being. "Matthew Perry's journey began with unscrupulous doctors who abused their position of trust because they saw him as a payday, to street dealers who gave him ketamine in unmarked vials."
