What a James Beard Award Means to These Best Chef Winners

The mission of the James Beard Awards® is to recognize exceptional talent and achievement in the culinary arts, hospitality, media, and broader food system, and a demonstrated commitment to equity, community, sustainability, and a culture where all can thrive. The Best Chef Award presented by Capital One honors chefs who not only set a high standard in their culinary and leadership skills, but also make efforts to help create a sustainable work culture in their respective regions.

This year’s Best Chef winners include visionary chefs showcasing their personal histories with flavors from Haiti to Vietnam to Peru; leading the way in emerging culinary destinations like Easton, Maryland and Mystic, Connecticut; and taking everyday actions to help support a more sustainable food system. Read on to learn more about the experiences that shaped their journeys to this year’s James Beard Awards ® and the impact of this recognition.

JBF: What does winning a James Beard Award mean to you?

Valerie Chang, Best Chef: South: Winning this [award] has been a deeply rewarding moment for my whole team and [me].

I am a woman of color, an immigrant, and English is my second language. I started working in restaurants at 14 with my father and it was the first experience I ever had in a structured setting where I felt like I could do well.

As [someone] who did not do well in school, dropped out of college, winning means that anyone who struggled as I did in a traditional school setting can still achieve great things in [their] own way.

Gregory Gourdet, Best Chef: Northwest and Pacific: It’s an honor, particularly in the category spotlighting excellence among my chef peers. So many of my culinary heroes have been recognized in this same category across the U.S. and I can’t emphasize enough how honored I am to be listed alongside them. Moreover, I deeply appreciate that this award offers a platform to share the story of Kann—not only the rich, cultural roots of Haitian cuisine, but our values-driven approach to ensuring the restaurant runs as a diverse, sustainable, and equitable ecosystem. I hope we are able to inspire others to do things differently and create the restaurant they've always wanted to work in.

Lord Maynard Llera, Best Chef: California: The James Beard Award means a lot to me. Receiving this award holds deep personal meaning. It's a testament to the challenges overcome and it represents not just a personal victory, but a celebration of resilience. It's also a reflection of the dedication and love I have put into my craft.

Christina Nguyen, Best Chef: Midwest: It’s a huge honor for me and my teams, past and present, to win. To me, it means that a lot of progress has been made in recognizing the value of immigrant food in this country, to see it honored side-by-side with restaurants and chefs that have historically won this award. As the daughter of refugees from Vietnam, it truly feels like an American Dream.

Harley Peet, Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic: This achievement is particularly meaningful to a small town like Easton, [and] I would be remiss not to share this accomplishment with the Bas Rouge team, whose dedication and skill is also being honored.
I feel my responsibility has heightened, and I have a platform to be an ear and a voice that goes beyond food and reaches all who stand alongside me. It is important to notice if someone is struggling or needs a helping hand, we have to be there for each other.

Paul Smith, Best Chef: Southeast: That one person with a dream can make a difference. A difference within myself, for my team, for my community, and for our futures. All the hard work, long hours, and sacrifice was completely worth it. Winning was beyond my wildest dreams, but my true victory is how it has impacted so many around me. Together we are rising the tide that is West Virginia. I am honored to be part of the water that is rising this tide.

David Standridge, Best Chef: Northeast: It’s a tremendous honor at this point in my career to have found a place where I can showcase my work in such a way that this kind of recognition is possible. It’s also meant so much [to] our business, and for our goals around sustainable fishing and workplace practices. The recognition of the Foundation will hopefully inspire other restaurants to implement similar practices and strive for progress on issues that are important to them and their operations.

Matt Vawter, Best Chef: Mountain: Winning the James Beard Award was an incredibly humbling and surreal experience. I was honestly shocked to receive this recognition, especially as a first-time nominee. More than anything, I see this award as a testament to the incredible work our team does every day and the strong connection we've built with the Breckenridge community—which makes me feel incredibly proud.

To learn more about the James Beard Awards and how to submit an entry for consideration in the 2025 Awards, visit our Awards page. We’re grateful to our proud partners and the official credit card and banking partner of the Foundation, Capital One, for presenting the Best Chef Award and the 2024 James Beard Awards®.

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Yasmin Hariri is branded content manager at the James Beard Foundation.