The winners for this year’s James Beard Foundation awards were announced in Chicago last night. Here are the chefs and restaurant winners. Congratulations to them all.

Rising Star Chef of the Year
A chef age 30 or younger who displays an impressive talent and who is likely to make a significant impact on the industry in years to come.

Daniela Soto-Innes, Cosme, NYC

Best Chefs
Chefs who have set new or consistent standards of excellence in their respective regions. Eligible candidates may be from any kind of dining establishment and must have been working as a chef for at least five years with the three most recent years spent in the region.

Best Chef: Great Lakes (IL, IN, MI, OH)

Curtis Duffy, Grace, Chicago

Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic (D.C., DE, MD, NJ, PA, VA)

Aaron Silverman, Rose’s Luxury, Washington, D.C.

Best Chef: Midwest (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD, WI)

Paul Berglund, The Bachelor Farmer, Minneapolis

Best Chef: New York City (Five Boroughs)

Jonathan Waxman, Barbuto

Best Chef: Northeast (CT, MA, ME, MH, NY STATE, RI, VT)

Zak Pelaccio, Fish & Game, Hudson, NY

Best Chef: Northwest (AK, ID, MT, OR, WA, WY)

Renee Erickson, The Whale Wins, Seattle

Best Chef: South (AL, AR, FL, LA, MS, PR)

Justin Devillier, La Petite Grocery, New Orleans

Best Chef: Southeast (GA, KY, NC, SC, TN, WV)

Tandy Wilson, City House, Nashville

Best Chef: Southwest (AZ, CO, NM, OK, TX, UT)

Justin Yu, Oxheart, Houston

Best Chef: West (CA, HI, NV)

Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo, Animal, Los Angeles

2016 James Beard Foundation America’s Classics

Al Ameer Restaurant, Dearborn, MI Owners: Khalil Ammar and Zaki Hashem

Brooks’ House of BBQ, Oneonta, NY Owners: Beth and Ryan Brooks

Bully’s Restaurant, Jackson, MS
Owners: Tyrone Bully and Greta Brown Bully

Matt’s Place Drive-In, Butte, MT Owners: Robin and Brad Cockhill

Rancho de Chimayó Restaurante, Chimayo, NM Owner: Florence Jaramillo

2016 James Beard Foundation Outstanding Restaurant Design Awards

75 Seats and Under
For the best restaurant design or renovation in North America since January 1, 2013

Firm: Demian Repucci Design
Designer: Demian Repucci
Project: Bruno, NYC

Firm: Renzo Piano Building Workshop
Designers: Renzo Piano Building Workshop in Collaboration with Cooper Robertson Project: Untitled, NYC

76 Seats and Over
For the best restaurant design or renovation in North America since January 1, 2013

Firm: Land and Sea Dept.
Designers: Mode Carpentry, Land and Sea Dept. (Robert McAdams, Jon Martin, Peter Toalson, and Cody Hudson)
Project: Cherry Circle Room, Chicago

Design Icon

The Four Seasons Restaurant, NYC

2016 James Beard Foundation Restaurant and Chef Awards

Best New Restaurant
A restaurant opened in the calendar year before the award will be given that already displays excellence in food, beverage, and service, and that is likely to make a significant impact in years to come.

Shaya, New Orleans

Outstanding Baker
A chef or baker who prepares breads, pastries or desserts in a retail bakery, and who serves as a national standard-bearer of excellence. Must have been a baker or pastry chef for at least five years.

Joanne Chang, Flour Bakery + Café, Boston

Outstanding Bar Program
A restaurant or bar that demonstrates excellence in cocktail, spirits and/or beer service.

Maison Premiere, Brooklyn, NY

Outstanding Chef
A working chef in America whose career has set national industry standards and who has served as an inspiration to other food professionals. Eligible candidates must have been working as a chef for the past five years.

Suzanne Goin, Lucques, Los Angeles

Outstanding Pastry Chef
A chef or baker who prepares desserts, pastries or breads in a restaurant, and who serves as a national standard bearer of excellence. Must have been a pastry chef or baker for the past five years.

Dahlia Narvaez, Osteria Mozza, Los Angeles

Outstanding Restaurant
A restaurant in the United States that serves as a national standard bearer of consistent quality and excellence in food, atmosphere and service. Eligible restaurants must have been in operation 10 or more consecutive years.

Alinea, Chicago

Outstanding Restaurateur
A working restaurateur who sets high national standards in restaurant operations and entrepreneurship. Candidates must have been in the restaurant business for at least 10 years. Candidates must not have been nominated for a James Beard Foundation chef award in the past five years.

Ken Friedman, NYC (The Spotted Pig, The Breslin, Tosca Café)

Outstanding Service
A restaurant in operation five or more years that demonstrates high standards of hospitality and service.

Eleven Madison Park, NYC

Outstanding Wine Program
A restaurant in operation five or more years that serves as a standard bearer for excellence in wine service through a well-presented wine list, knowledgeable staff, and efforts to educate customers about wine.

Bern’s Steakhouse, Tampa, FL

Outstanding Wine, Beer, or Spirits Professional

A beer, wine or spirits professional who has made a significant national impact on the restaurant industry.

Ron Cooper, Del Maguey Single Village Mezcal, Ranchos de Taos, NM Miljenko Grgich,

6909 Metro Park Drive
Alexandria, VA 22310
703-922-6200
http://walkersgrille.com/

American | $$

Chef Duane Keller has created a wonderful Spring menu at Walker’s Grille. Chef Keller creates complex flavor profiles using a combination of farm fresh locally sourced vegetables and high quality meats. Flavors are rich and blend perfectly.

There is plenty of outdoor seating with large fans for those warm summer nights.

The seating is comfortable, not the kind you sink into because it hasn’t been replaced in 20 years.

Bread is fresh and warm when it comes to the table.

The Chicken Empanadas with Avocado Puree and Tomato Salsa are incredible. The Avocado Puree is the perfect complement to the chicken.

For my entrée I chose the Prosciutto Wrapped “day boat” Scallops on Roasted Creamed Corn. The thin prosciutto elevates the flavor above the standard bacon wrapped scallop without the chunky texture of bacon. The light cooking of the prosciutto with the scallop brings out the aroma for the perfect combination. The scallops are paired with a medley of Fingerling Potatoes and Asparagus Hash.

My wife had the Veal Shank over Pasta with a Mushroom Spinach Cream Sauce topped with Shaved Parmesan. The veal was cooked flawlessly, easily coming off the bone. The Cavatappi pasta is lightly coated in the cream sauce and a nice counterpart to the mild taste of the veal.

We took the waiter’s suggestion and ordered the Warm Apple Fritters for dessert. These fritters are twice the size of most. This is the best apple fritter I have had. The sugar coated donut around the warm al dente apple slices was unbelievable. It was a hard choice between the fritters and the Peanut Butter Chocolate Pate but I am glad we got the fritters.

Chef Keller has done a masterful job creating this new spring menu. I can’t wait to go back and try more dishes. The service is always first class and even when busy the noise level is not deafening. Walker’s Grille has a 4½-star rating on OpenTable. Make your reservations now before all the Apple Fritters are gone.

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The Inn at Little Washington
309 Middle St.
Washington, VA 22747
(540) 675-3800
https://www.theinnatlittlewashington.com/

American | $$$$

I have been putting this post off for some time only because it is hard to find words to describe a dining experience at The Inn at Little Washington. We had been before on our 10^th wedding anniversary and had a memorable time. Our plans to go again 15 years later for our 25^th anniversary were delightfully interrupted when our dear friend Terry surprised us with a gift certificate for dinner. There was no waiting for our 25^th to roll around, it was time to go again.

The most important thing to know about dinner at the Inn at Little Washington is that everything is perfect. From the reservationist to the valet a culture of excellence fills your visit. The food and service are extraordinary. No detail is over looked and any request is fulfilled by staff as if it were second nature. I am certain that if you asked for shaved buzzard beak instead of freshly grated parmesan the waiter would smile, disappear into the kitchen only to return moments later to say alas, buzzard beak is out of season.

The Inn at Little Washington is a special place for special occasions. It is not inexpensive, and for some it will be the most ever paid for a meal. Figure $475 for dinner and gratuity for 2 people with no drinks. It is worth the price. Ask for a tour of the kitchen. It is beautiful and remarkably well ordered. If you visit in the spring or summer take a walk through the gorgeous gardens day or night.

Cozy seating with an old world décor helps minimize the noise so you can actually have a conversation at dinner without shouting.

Cucumber wrapped fresh American Salmon Caviar starter from the chef.

Wonderful warm bread.

A Chive Gougere and a Shot of Asparagus Soup.

Chilled Maine Lobster Salad with Marinated Hawaiian Heart of Palm.

Sashimi of Yellowtail Dusted with Espelette.

Carpaccio of Herb-Crusted Baby Lamb Loin with Caesar Salad Ice Cream.

Chilled Veal Tongue with Pickled Root Vegetables and Horseradish Ice Cream.

Fricassee of Morels, Potato Gnocchi, and Virginia Country Ham with Asparagus Tips.

Miniature Filet of Antarctic Sea Bass with Lemon Vodka Sauce and Lilliputian Shrimp-Pork Dumplings.

Pork and Beans: Hickory Glazed Kurobuta Pork Jowl with Gigante Beans.

Huckleberry Marinated Squab Breast with a Crispy Potato Galette.

Veal Shenandoah: Local Prosciutto Wrapped Loin of Veal with Country Ham and Fontina Cheese Ravioli.

Another view of the Veal Shenandoah.

Parsley Crusted Loin of Jamison Farm’s Lamb with Spinach and Barley “Risotto.”

A small palate cleanser.

A Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp for my wife.

Silky smooth Chocolate Cake for me.