How to Cook like a Beard Award–Winning Woman

In honor of Women’s History Month, we're celebrating the contributions of women in the culinary industry with expert advice, all-women dinners at the Beard House, op-ed pieces on the subject, and now, recipes from some of the biggest names in the game. Any one of these dishes, culled from a powerhouse group of Beard Award–winning women chefs, is guaranteed to make you a better home cook. Join us in recognizing these superstar talents and make one tonight.

Fattoush with Escarole, Parsley, and Sumac
Ana Sortun adds crunchy escarole and a sprinkle of sumac to her creative version of the traditional Middle Eastern bread salad made with day-old pita.

Roasted Carrots with Carrot Top Pesto and Burrata  
Known for her nose-to-tail approach to pork, April Bloomfield applies the same principles to vegetables. “I love to use the whole thing, without producing excess waste,” she explains.

Porcini-Braised Chicken Thighs (pictured above)
Naomi Pomeroy advises that you should serve this rustic one-pot meal directly out of the pan or Dutch oven in which it is cooked.

Grilled Spanish Mackerel with Green Sauce 
"The fact that our great-grandchildren may never eat a real seafood dinner gives those of us who still eat fish a responsibility not to put blue cheese on it," says Andrea Reusing. "This treatment would work for almost any flavorful, rich fish." 

Strawberry–Rhubarb Rugelach with Oatmeal Streusel 
“This recipe is a fruit crisp disguised as rugelach,” explains Mindy Segal. “I slather cream cheese dough with the strawberry rhubarb preserves and then dust it with streusel for crunch.” 

Malasadas (Portuguese Doughnuts) 
These bite-sized fritters from Top Chef winner Stephanie Izard are delicious served with ice cream, alongside a mug of coffee, or simply on their own.

Miso Butterscotch Sundae 
Seeking to bridge dinner and dessert, Christina Tosi incorporated the flavor profile of the Momofuku restaurants’ main dishes by transforming basic pantry staples into a sweet, salty, umami butterscotch-like spread.

Hungry for more? View our entire recipe collection. 

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Elena North-Kelly is managing editor at the James Beard Foundation. Find her on Twitter and Instagram.