I love the James Beard awards and I absolutely understand why it’s important to highlight that quality cooking exists in place that aren’t just LA and New York and SF, but this just reeks of overcorrection, imo.
Coracora, really? It’s no better than Cabra. Lucia is no better than Rossoblue/Felix/Antico Nuovo/Bestia/etc.
I respect that they want to correct for the backlash for being LA/TX/NY centric in 2021, but this reeks of going way too far the other way. And, not to be a snob, but I’m sorry, I just don’t believe that it’s likely that in any given year, the list of best restaurants in the nation won’t be overwhelmingly dominated by the most populous areas where competition is stiffest for both talent and patrons. Not to mention that all the damn food in the country is grown here.
Outstanding chef for Llama Inn? Llama Inn isn’t even the best or most interesting restaurant in Williamsburg, let alone NY. N/Naka again for LA? Are they going to just nominate Niki every year, or will they finally let her win? Nightshade Noodle Bar in Massachusetts, famed for its wide Vietnamese population.
Best new restaurant doesn’t include *one* restaurant in Los Angeles? Not Saffy’s? Pijja Palace? Dunsmoor? N/Soto? Yang’s Kitchen?
Best pastry chef includes Manzke *again* who they never let win, but not the All Day Baby team? Not Nicole Rucker for Fat & Flour? Not Bub & Grandma’s?
Justin Pichetrungsi is relegated to Best Chef CA, when his restaurant is regularly regarded as the best in the nation and the hardest reservation to get, in any city?
Best Chef NY didn’t include the reopening of Blue Hill? Included *dirt candy* but not ABC V?
I know this is a big rant about something that ultimately doesn’t matter, but it just bothers me that a stalwart of industry accolades is kowtowing to “what do you mean the two urban centers with ten million people dominate the food scene compared to my little town with 50k?!” and I *cannot* be convinced that these awards are truly representative of their stated categories, but should be formalized as “five best restaurants in the US with a weighting against the major urban centers.”
StrokeJuicyJuice
James Beard got down with the wokeness
Leo-Bloom
I read that as 2023 James Bond finalists
orangefreshy
I think there must be some kind of quota system because otherwise the major metro areas would kick most of the smaller ones out of contention? Obv there could be a totally remote restaurant that blows “big city” ones out of the water, especially if it’s leaning on local food and produce but the sheer volume and concentration of talent in metro areas makes that less likely based on frequency. So my guess is they’re just taking the top 1 from a specific area and no more. I’m really excited for ototo tho. Tsubaki and ototo are really special. We discovered their sake school right at the beginning of the pandemic and it was such a fun thing to do. The food is so good too. I just wish I lived closer so I could go more often
4 Comments
I love the James Beard awards and I absolutely understand why it’s important to highlight that quality cooking exists in place that aren’t just LA and New York and SF, but this just reeks of overcorrection, imo.
Coracora, really? It’s no better than Cabra. Lucia is no better than Rossoblue/Felix/Antico Nuovo/Bestia/etc.
I respect that they want to correct for the backlash for being LA/TX/NY centric in 2021, but this reeks of going way too far the other way. And, not to be a snob, but I’m sorry, I just don’t believe that it’s likely that in any given year, the list of best restaurants in the nation won’t be overwhelmingly dominated by the most populous areas where competition is stiffest for both talent and patrons. Not to mention that all the damn food in the country is grown here.
Outstanding chef for Llama Inn? Llama Inn isn’t even the best or most interesting restaurant in Williamsburg, let alone NY. N/Naka again for LA? Are they going to just nominate Niki every year, or will they finally let her win? Nightshade Noodle Bar in Massachusetts, famed for its wide Vietnamese population.
Best new restaurant doesn’t include *one* restaurant in Los Angeles? Not Saffy’s? Pijja Palace? Dunsmoor? N/Soto? Yang’s Kitchen?
Best pastry chef includes Manzke *again* who they never let win, but not the All Day Baby team? Not Nicole Rucker for Fat & Flour? Not Bub & Grandma’s?
Justin Pichetrungsi is relegated to Best Chef CA, when his restaurant is regularly regarded as the best in the nation and the hardest reservation to get, in any city?
Best Chef NY didn’t include the reopening of Blue Hill? Included *dirt candy* but not ABC V?
I know this is a big rant about something that ultimately doesn’t matter, but it just bothers me that a stalwart of industry accolades is kowtowing to “what do you mean the two urban centers with ten million people dominate the food scene compared to my little town with 50k?!” and I *cannot* be convinced that these awards are truly representative of their stated categories, but should be formalized as “five best restaurants in the US with a weighting against the major urban centers.”
James Beard got down with the wokeness
I read that as 2023 James Bond finalists
I think there must be some kind of quota system because otherwise the major metro areas would kick most of the smaller ones out of contention? Obv there could be a totally remote restaurant that blows “big city” ones out of the water, especially if it’s leaning on local food and produce but the sheer volume and concentration of talent in metro areas makes that less likely based on frequency. So my guess is they’re just taking the top 1 from a specific area and no more. I’m really excited for ototo tho. Tsubaki and ototo are really special. We discovered their sake school right at the beginning of the pandemic and it was such a fun thing to do. The food is so good too. I just wish I lived closer so I could go more often