Karyn Tomlinson, of Myriel in St. Paul, won in the Best Chef: Midwest category. Tomlinson quickly became known for her “grandma cooking nouveau” style at Myriel after opening in 2021, combining her Scandinavian/Minnesotan heritage and French culinary training. Alluding to that “grandma chic” cooking, Tomlinson dressed up in the same coral dress her grandmother wore when she was crowned the “dazzle corn queen” in 1941, part of a celebration marking the University of Minnesota’s efforts to identify cold-tolerant corn crops for Minnesota. She ended her acceptance speech with some Midwest pride, saying “the Midwest is beautiful, the Midwest is diverse, the Midwest is tenacious and strong.”
Bûcheron won the Best New Restaurant category, with co-owner Jeanie Janas Ritter accepting the Kingfield bistro’s national award. Bûcheron was one of 10 nominees in the category, and the only restaurant from the Midwest and Great Lakes regions. (The only other Minnesota restaurant ever nominated in the category was Owamni, which brought home the award in 2022.)
Fresh off the stage, Ritter shared with Eater that several customers and friends joined her in Chicago for the awards. “We had regulars fly here and get tickets to be with us. We have my dear mentor who just passed away, her husband and best friend surprised us, which is just — I’m still trying to wrap my head around it,” she said. “We have the best community, and we are so grateful for them.”
As for what she and Bûcheron’s supporters would be doing on Monday night to celebrate: “Oh man, hopefully we’re not going to get as drunk as we did last night, but it might be unavoidable. We’re having fun.”
In her speech, Ritter said that, “Minnesota cuisine is defined by the ingredients rather than the technique.” It was a sentiment echoed by Tomlinson during a post-win interview in the press room. She was proud of both Myriel and Bûcheron’s wins as both are “proudly Minnesotan and Midwestern and are exploring that in different ways in our connections with farmers.” She hopes that the Midwest will be recognized more in the future for its diversity and the many cultures that define the cuisine of the heartland.
Bar Brava did not take home a Beard in the new Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program. (Charleston in Baltimore brought home the win.) At the Media Awards on Saturday, June 14, Vinai chef Yia Vang and the Twin Cities PBS producers of Relish received an award in the Lifestyle Visual Media category.
Disclosure: Some Vox Media staff members are part of the voting body for the James Beard Awards. Eater is partnering with the James Beard Foundation to livestream the awards in 2025. All editorial content is produced independently of the James Beard Foundation.