For the past 29 years, the James Beard Foundation has been recognizing the most talented names in the culinary arts from across the country with a set of awards that are commonly considered one of the highest honors a chef or restaurant can receive. This year’s ceremony in Chicago earlier this month was a great celebration, bringing to a finale the excitement that had been building in the world of hospitality since the nominees were announced this past March.
Among the list of exceptional chefs and restaurants were two of Sam Tell’s clients: Best New Restaurant Frenchette and Best Chefs in New York City Jody Williams and Rita Sodi or Via Carota.
Sam Tell Spotlight:
Best New Restaurant
Frenchette | NYC
This award made official what many already knew! The French bistro has been delighting patrons since its opening last April and the distinction should come as no surprise considering it's run by Executive Chefs Lee Hanson and Riad Nasr. The pair have developed a powerful synergy over their 20 years of working together and were two of the talented chefs behind Balthazar – another favorite of ours.
This Tribeca spot won over its clientele and the critics with its traditional, French dishes, which shine the spotlight on vegetables such as potatoes and sweet peas just as much as its meats and fish.
To complement the traditional menu, the chefs of Frenchette chose timeless tableware with simple, white china and high-quality silverware supplied by their partners here at Sam Tell.
Best Chef: New York City (Five Boroughs)
Jody Williams, Rita Sodi (Via Carota) | NYC
Chefs Jody Williams & Rita Sodi take home the award for Best Chefs in the NYC region for their outstanding work at Via Carota in the West Village of Manhattan and we could not be more thrilled.
Combining their experience cooking in Italy, these two seasoned chefs have crafted an authentic menu which pays homage to Sodi’s native Tuscany, making Via Carota the place to go if you’re looking for exquisite Italian cuisine.
Sam Tell is proud to have played a part in giving Chefs Williams and Sodi the tools they need to practice their craft by designing them a kitchen that empowers their staff to work efficiently.
Take a look at the full list of Restaurant and Chef award winners below:
Outstanding awards:
Outstanding Baker
Greg Wade (Publican Quality Bread) | Chicago
Outstanding Bar Program
Bar Agricole | San Francisco
Outstanding Chef
Ashley Christensen (Poole’s Diner) | Raleigh, NC
Outstanding Pastry Chef
Kelly Fields (Willa Jean) | New Orleans
Outstanding Restaurant
Zahav | Philadelphia
Outstanding Restaurateur
Kevin Boehm, Rob Katz (Boka Restaurant Group) | Chicago
Outstanding Service
Frasca Food and Wine | Boulder, CO
Outstanding Wine Program
Benu | San Francisco
Outstanding Wine, Spirits, or Beer Producer
Rob Tod (Allagash Brewing Company) | Portland, ME
Rising Star Chef of the Year
Kwame Onwuachi (Kith and Kin) | Washington, D.C.
Best Chefs in America:
Best Chef: Great Lakes (IL, IN, MI, OH)
Beverly Kim, Johnny Clark (Parachute) | Chicago
Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic (D.C., DE, MD, NJ, PA, VA)
Tom Cunanan (Bad Saint) | Washington, D.C.
Best Chef: Midwest (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD, WI)
Ann Kim (Young Joni) | Minneapolis
Best Chef: Northeast (CT, MA, ME, NH, NY State, RI, VT)
Tony Messina (Uni) | Boston
Best Chef: Northwest (AK, ID, MT, OR, WA, WY)
Brady Williams (Canlis) | Seattle
Best Chef: South (AL, AR, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, FL, LA, MS)
Vishwesh Bhatt (Snackbar) | Oxford, MS
Best Chef: Southeast (GA, KY, NC, SC, TN, WV)
Mashama Bailey (The Grey) | Savannah, GA
Best Chef: Southwest (AZ, CO, NM, OK, TX, UT)
Charleen Badman (FnB) | Scottsdale, AZ
Best Chef: West (CA, HI, NV)
Michael Cimarusti (Providence) | Los Angeles
