The 2015 James Beard Awards, an event that already guarantees plenty of culinary star power, just got more exciting. We're thrilled to announce that Food Network personality Alton Brown will host this spring's James Beard Awards ceremony in Chicago, taking place at Lyric Opera of Chicago on Monday, May 4. The former star of the Peabody Award–winning Good Eats, Brown has lent his talents to a number of other Food Network shows, including Iron Chef America, Feasting on Asphalt, Feasting on Waves, The Next Iron Chef, The Next Food Network Star, and Cutthroat Kitchen.
Carla Hall, host of ABC's The Chew and former Top Chef competitor, will host the annual Book, Broadcast, and Journalism Awards Dinner, which will be held on Friday, April 24, at Pier Sixty at Chelsea Piers in New York City. An accomplished chef and entrepreneur, Hall plans to open Carla Hall’s Southern Kitchen in New York City later this year.
The Foundation has also announced the chef lineup for its post-ceremony tasting reception in Chicago. Grant Achatz, Rick Bayless, and Paul Kahan will serve as official gala chef co-chairs. See the complete list of chefs, plus more details about our esteemed hosts, here.
Read past 2015 Awards coverage here.
