The Lyric Opera in Chicago was the venue for this year’s James Beard Restaurant & Chefs Awards ceremony held earlier this evening.

These awards recognize the skills of courageous chefs who bring a unique and creative perspective to their craft while also making a positive impact on their local communities.

Unfortunately, despite Wisconsin’s anticipation and optimism for Chefs Dan Jacobs and Dan Van Rite from EsterEv to be victorious, they were not able to secure an award.

Tonight’s James Beard Foundation award for Best Chef Midwest was presented to Chef Christina Nguyen, who runs the popular restaurant Hai Hai in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

When accepting the award, she expressed gratitude towards the Beard Foundation for their efforts in acknowledging and promoting “immigrant food”. This category of cuisines has historically been marginalized and only recognized in categories such as “Cheap Eats” and similar labels.

In 2024, Nguyen received her second Beard nomination, following her first in 2020, which was unfortunately canceled due to COVID-19. Prior to this, she had also made it to the semi-finals in both 2018 and 2023.

In 2011, Nguyen and her spouse, Birk Stefan Grudem, established Hola Arepa, their first restaurant. Later in 2018, they introduced Hai Hai, which primarily features Southeast Asian street foods and dishes that Nguyen enjoyed during her childhood. Hai Hai has been instrumental in bringing a diverse range of regional Vietnamese dishes that were previously unfamiliar to the Twin Cities. Additionally, the restaurant serves unique dishes that highlight the vibrant and flavorful nature of Southeast Asian cuisine.

The restaurant received a remarkable 3.5-star rating from the Star Tribune during its inaugural year. The review described it as a magical place where every element, meticulously crafted, contributes to one’s overall sense of pure joy and contentment.

Wisconsin’s rich James Beard history

As Wisconsinites, we should take immense pride in the culinary skills that we have developed over the years. Our cities and state are home to numerous chefs who have shown remarkable resilience, leadership, innovation and creativity. It’s worth noting that the Beard Foundation has recognized almost 100 semi-finalists and finalists from Wisconsin in the last 35+ years, and they all deserve our acknowledgment.

Sanford D’Amato, the founder of Sanford, was a trailblazer in the culinary industry. He made a name for himself in the 1970s New York scene, which was mostly dominated by French-born chefs. Even after moving back to Milwaukee, he continued to make a mark in the industry. In 1996, he became the first chef in Wisconsin to win the coveted James Beard Award, earning the title of Best Chef in the Midwest.

In 2012, Sanford was acquired by Justin Aprahamian from D’Amato. Despite being nominated four times, Aprahamian had to wait until 2014 to achieve the prestigious win. Before Aprahamian, Adam Siegel was honored with the title of Best Chef Midwest in 2008 for his exceptional work at Bartolotta’s Lake Park Bistro.

In 2022, Dane Baldwin of The Diplomat was awarded the Best Chef Midwest, marking the first post-pandemic Beard award. It is a well-deserved honor for Baldwin, who has undoubtedly demonstrated exceptional culinary skills and expertise.

Madison has seen other Beard winners in the past. In 2012, Chef Tory Miller was recognized for his exceptional work at L’Etoile. Interestingly, this was the second time that a L’Etoile chef had won the award, with founder Odessa Piper taking home the prize in 2001.

Paul Bartolotta, a native of Wisconsin, made history as the first chef to win James Beard Awards in two regions. He received his first award in 1994 while leading the kitchen at Spiaggia in Chicago. His second award came in 2009 for his remarkable work at Ristorante di Mare in Las Vegas. Another Wisconsin-born chef, Tony Mantuano from Kenosha, also won the prestigious James Beard Award for best chef Great Lakes in 2005, thanks to his outstanding contributions at Spiaggia.

Apart from receiving awards for exceptional chefs, various restaurants have been recognized for their unique American Classics. Some of the renowned restaurants that have won this award include Watts Tea Shop, which unfortunately is no longer in operation, Three Brothers which serves delicious Serbian cuisine in Cream City, and Solly’s Grille, which is famous for its butter burger. Furthermore, Bryant’s Cocktail Lounge was also a semifinalist in the Outstanding Bar Program category in 2013.

Wisconsin, let’s raise a toast to the upcoming year!

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