The James Beard Foundation offers a variety of events designed to educate, inspire, entertain, and foster an appreciation of American cuisine while supporting our mission of making America’s food culture more delicious, diverse, and sustainable for everyone. Below is a glossary to help you understand the differences among the various types of events on our calendar.
Events at the Beard House
These events are all located at the historic James Beard House at 167 West 12th Street (between 6th and 7th Avenues), in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village neighborhood.
DINNERS
Multi-course meals, complemented by wine pairings, prepared by guest chefs from around the world. Dinners may highlight individual chefs or chefs from more than one restaurant. Chefs may cook their own signature cuisine, or cook around a particular theme, such as a specific ingredient or holiday.
When attending a dinner, guests are first invited to walk through the Beard House kitchen to meet the night’s chef and observe the event team at work. They then enjoy a canapé reception, which takes place throughout the ground floor and in our garden (weather permitting). Diners then climb to the second-floor dining room, where they enjoy a five- to six-course tasting menu with wine pairings. The evening concludes with a question-and-answer session with the chef in the dining room. Sign up here to get updates about future James Beard House Events
COCKTAIL PARTIES
Walk-around parties featuring numerous chef stations or passed canapés, as well as wines, cocktails, and other beverages. Cocktail parties take place throughout the Beard House and in the garden (weather permitting).
Events Outside of the Beard House
These events are located at venues in New York City and around the country.
JAMES BEARD FOUNDATION AWARDS
The nation’s preeminent honors for culinary professionals, presented every spring in New York City and Chicago. Medals are awarded to chefs and restaurants, as well as for outstanding books, journalism, restaurant design, and other categories. Learn more about the James Beard Foundation Awards.
JAMES BEARD FOUNDATION LEADERSHIP AWARDS
Established in 2011, the JBF Leadership Awards recognize visionaries who are creating a safer, more healthful, and more sustainable food world. Past recipients include Alice Waters, Michelle Obama, and Will Allen. Learn more about the JBF Leadership Awards.
CHEF ACTION SUMMIT
Launched in 2019, the Summit is invitation-only and open to special guests, alumnae of James Beard Foundation Impact programs, and partners in the fight for positive policy change that support people, communities, and the planet. Speakers and attendees have included: James Beard award-winning chefs and journalists, members of Congress, activists, Grammy award-winning musicians, and U.S. poet laureates. Learn More about Chef Action Summit.
TASTE AMERICA®
The James Beard Foundation’s Taste America® presented by Capital One® is our 20-city culinary series that gives food lovers across the country an opportunity to have a unique dining experience while learning more about the impact of their food choices from passionate leaders who are changing the landscape of the industry. Events include gala dinners, Raising the Bar tasting receptions, and intimate pop-up dinners that occur throughout the year. Learn more about Taste America.
FRIENDS OF JAMES BEARD BENEFITS®
Fundraising events hosted by chefs and other culinary leaders around the country. Proceeds go toward supporting the Foundation’s general operating fund and one of the following JBF programs selected by the host: National Scholars, Women’s Leadership Programs, or Impact Programs. Friends of James Beard Benefits are created by the host and can be a dinner or lunch featuring a multi-course menu with wine pairings, a walk-around tasting, and/or may be part of a larger festival. Learn more about Friends of James Beard Benefits®.
ANNUAL GALA
Annual fall fundraiser in New York City, featuring live and silent auction packages as well as an extraordinary seated dinner prepared by chefs and other culinary leaders who aim to make our future more delicious, diverse, and sustainable for everyone. The event showcases chefs who embody the leadership, diversity, and tenacity that the James Beard Foundation supports everyday through our Scholarship, Women’s Leadership, Smart Catch, and Impact programs. Learn more about the JBF Gala.
GREENS
JBF Greens is specifically for food lovers between the ages of 21 and 39 in NYC and in Chicago. Events take place in a variety of formats, including walk-around tastings, multi-course dinners, wine tastings, hands-on cooking classes, etc. Greens get to discover the newest restaurants, chefs, and culinary trends all while enjoying great food and drink. Learn more about the James Beard Foundation Greens.