The James Beard Foundation presented its coveted culinary awards for 2023 in Chicago on Monday night, with the top awards going to Rob Rubba of Oyster Oyster in Washington, D.C., as outstanding chef and to Friday Saturday Sunday in Philadelphia as outstanding restaurant. Reflecting the awards’ growing clout, Mayor Brandon Johnson of Chicago and Gov. J.B. Pritzker of Illinois appeared live onstage, and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in a video, praised the soft power of culinary diplomacy, citing the Beard-award-winning chef Edward Lee’s Maryland crab cakes with gochujang vinaigrette, which were served at a recent state dinner. In some ways, the gala was the eye in a recent storm of controversies about the group’s process and priorities. After an internal audit, the awards process was retooled to reward not only culinary excellence, but equity, leadership, sustainability and community-building.

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Persons: James Beard, Rob Rubba, Brandon Johnson, J.B . Pritzker, Antony Blinken, Beard, Edward Lee’s, gochujang Organizations: James, James Beard Foundation, Washington , D.C, Gov, Illinois Locations: Chicago, Washington ,, Philadelphia, Edward Lee’s Maryland