03-04-2025
Edwins' Brandon Chrostowski wins first-ever James Beard Impact Award
Brandon Chrostowski, the founder and CEO of Edwins, will receive an inaugural James Beard Foundation Impact Award.
Why it matters: This will be the first James Beard Award for Chrostowksi, who was a semifinalist in 2022 and finalist in 2023 in the Outstanding Restaurateur category.
It's also Cleveland's first James Beard Award since 2015, when Jonathon Sawyer won Best Chef in the Great Lakes region.
State of play: The new Impact Awards recognize individuals and organizations "actively working to push for standards that create a more equitable, sustainable, and economically viable restaurant industry," per the James Beard Foundation.
Catch up quick: Chrostowski founded Edwins in 2007 as a jobs program for returning citizens and opened the restaurant on Shaker Square in 2013.
It recently relocated to the former Nighttown space on Cedar Road.
What they're saying: "This award is a recognition not only of the work we do at Edwins but also of the power of belief — that everyone, no matter their past, deserves dignity, opportunity, and a seat at the table," Brandon Chrostowski said in a press release.
