PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — After two years without an awards ceremony, this year’s James Beard Awards will resume in June. The organization announced its 2022 chef award nominees, and four on the shortlist are from Philly.
The nominees are:
Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic
Cristina Martinez, South Philly Barbacoa
Jesse Ito, Royal Izakaya
Chutatip “Nok” Suntaranon, Kalaya Thai Kitchen
Outstanding Restaurateur
Ellen Yin, High Street Hospitality Group (Fork, a.kitchen + bar, High Street Philly)
The James Beard Foundation came under scrutiny in 2020 for its lack of diversity and canceled its ceremony that year and in 2021. Yin noted that this year, the four Philly-based nominated chefs are all minorities, and three of the four are women.
“Women sometimes don’t get the recognition that they deserve or the resources and the access to capital,” said Yin, who is nominated for the third time.
Kalaya chef Suntaranon said getting her second James Beard nomination feels like she’s beaten the odds. However, she’s noted how many restaurants are still struggling because of the pandemic.
“Even [if] we win or we not, for those who survived these two years — two difficult years — we all are a winner,” she said.
Related
The 2022 James Beard Awards will take place on June 13 in Chicago.