After postponing their awards ceremony due to COVID-19, the James Beard Foundation last week announced they would be refraining from announcing any additional winners at this year's event.
According to a statement on their website, the organization will be taking the year to work to overhaul the awards process to remove systematic bias.
The unprecedented decision to alter the awards in its 30-year history came days after California chef David Kinch posted criticism on his Instagram page about the awards ceremony and the need to change the restaurant industry. He also publicly withdrew himself from the nomination of outstanding chef.
I hope you take the time to read. #indrestaurants #saverestaurants
A post shared by @ davidkinch on Aug 15, 2020 at 11:26am PDT
Since then, other chefs have also privately withdrawn their nominations.
The changes come as social unrest has highlighted issues of racial inequity while the coronavirus pandemic has caused restaurants across the country to shut down.
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KYW Newsradio reached out to all of the chefs from Philadelphia who were in the running to potentially receive a James Beard award this year, but none wished to speak on the record. The foundation also declined an interview request.
James Beard Foundation CEO Clare Reichenbach said in a written statement that the uncertainty of this time for the restaurant industry also led to their decision to modify the awards. She added that "considering anyone to have won or lost within the current tumultuous hospitality ecosystem does not (in fact) feel like the right thing to do."
Instead of announcing winners, the Beard Foundation will be celebrating previously announced nominees at their September 25 ceremony in Chicago, which will be broadcast live on Twitter.