The following are policies and procedures for the 2023 James Beard Awards. For FAQs, please click here.
The James Beard Awards mission is to recognize exceptional talent and achievement in the culinary arts, hospitality, media, and broader food system, as well as a demonstrated commitment to racial and gender equity, community, sustainability, and a culture where all can thrive.
Governance, Structure, and Operations
All members of the Awards Committee, Awards subcommittees and judging bodies commit to upholding the James Beard Foundation’s Awards mission and values, ensuring that it is carried through in its Awards policies and procedures. Subcommittee members and Judges also commit to actively bring in new voices to the Awards voting body so that it remains relevant, equitable, and sustainable.
The Awards Committee of the James Beard Foundation oversees the administration of the James Beard Awards, determining policies and procedures for the efficient operation of the program. The volunteer committee consists of the chairperson from each individual Awards program (Leadership, Book, Broadcast, Journalism, and Restaurant and Chef), members of the Foundation's Board of Trustees, and at-large members from the food and beverage, food media and related industries.
The James Beard Foundation Awards consist of five separate recognition programs and two achievement awards: Media Awards, which include: Book, Broadcast Media, Journalism; Restaurant and Chef Awards, Leadership Awards, Lifetime Achievement, and Humanitarian of the Year Awards.
Each Awards program is administered by an independent volunteer subcommittee, whose members serve staggered two two-year terms. Each subcommittee chairperson reports to the Awards Committee.
All Awards Committee and subcommittee members agree to and sign a code of conduct, conflict of interest, and a non-disclosure form. All committee members and judges are also required to complete an annual DEI training at the beginning of the Awards year.
Subcommittee members are ineligible to enter or to be considered for the Awards program for which they serve, though they may enter the competition of another awards program. Awards Committee members are ineligible to enter or to be considered for any of the Awards programs.
Process
- The Media Awards (Book, Broadcast Media, and Journalism) conduct Open Call for Entries that require an entry fee of $75.00 per entry. Winners and nominees are selected from the entries. If you are not able to pay this application fee, you may request to have the fee waived with your online application.
- The Restaurant and Chef and Leadership Awards conduct an Open Call for Recommendations, in addition to recommendations provided by the Awards program’s voting body. Recommendations from the public are reviewed and considered by the Subcommittee when compiling the semifinalist list. There are no entry fees for these programs.
- There is no open call for entries for the Lifetime Achievement and Humanitarian of the Year Awards. Prospective candidates are researched and recommended by Awards Committee members, subcommittee members, and judges from all Awards programs.
- Committees meet after open call for entries and recommendations close to review and confirm the eligibility of the entries and recommendations.
- The voting body, including judges chosen for their expertise per program, then review and vote on the entries to determine the nominees and winners, as applicable to each program.
Alignment Statement
As part of the Call for Entry and Recommendations process, all entrants are required to provide a short write-up or audio/visual recording reflecting on the James Beard Awards Mission and the James Beard Foundations’ values, and how the entrant expresses them in their work. The goal of this statement is to offer the members of the voting body more context around the entrant and their work.
Detailed instructions and guidelines are available in the applications. Those entering are encouraged to write or speak in your own authentic words as thoughtfully as possible. The statement will be reviewed for content and alignment and not for fluency, video quality, or production value.
Statements can be submitted in the following formats:
- Written (150 to 300 words suggested)
- Audio (1-2 minutes)
- Video (1-2 minutes)
Candidates’ alignment statements will be reviewed and scored when committees and judges are voting on all the Awards categories.
Awards Announcements and Timing
- In October and November, the Open Call for Entry and Recommendations period is open for submissions for all Awards categories for the next Awards cycle. The 2023 Awards Open Call for Entry and Recommendations dates were: October 4 – November 30, 2022. Please see the current year’s eligibility criteria and categories for each program below. Additional information can be found on our Awards homepage and through the Awards newsletter.
- Winter announcement: Restaurant and Chef Awards semifinalists.
- Early spring announcements: Nominees (finalists) for Media and Restaurant and Chef Awards; Winners for Leadership, Lifetime Achievement Winner, and Humanitarian of the Year Winner.
- Early June announcements: winners are announced and recognized at the Media Awards, Leadership Awards, and Restaurant and Chef Awards ceremonies.
2023 Awards Committee
- Chair Tanya Holland, Chef and Restaurateur, Brown Sugar Kitchen
- Jeff Cherry, Founder, CEO, and Executive Director, Conscious Venture Lab; Managing General Partner, Conscious Venture Partners, LLC; Founder, CEO, and Managing Partner, The Porter Group, LLC
- Duskie Estes, black pig meat co., Farm to Pantry Bay Area Ranchers Cooperative
- Noah Glass, Founder and CEO, Olo
- Cynthia Graubart, Broadcast Media Awards Committee Co-Chair; Cookbook Author; Former Culinary Television Producer
- Tahiirah Habibi, The Hue Society
- Bill Kim, Urban Belly Restaurants
- Irene Li, Leadership Committee Chair; President, Mei Mei, Prepshift
- Adrian Miller, Restaurant and Chef Awards Committee Chair; The Soul Food Scholar
- André Natera, Chef; Author, Podcast Host; Chef’s PSA
- Richy Petrina, Founder, Ithaca Wine Ventures
- Anne Quatrano, Chef/Owner Bacchanalia, Star Provisions, and Floataway Café
- Jamila Robinson, Journalism Awards Committee Chair; Food Editor, Philadelphia Inquirer
- Erica Skolnik, Book Awards Committee Chair; Global Bakery Senior Culinary Program Manager, Whole Foods Market
- Jessamyn Waldman Rodriguez, Common Era, Managing Director; Hot Bread Kitchen, Founder, and Author
Achievement Awards
All subcommittee members recommend and vote on candidates for the Lifetime Achievement and Humanitarian of the Year Awards.
- The Lifetime Achievement Award is given to an individual whose lifetime body of work has had a positive and long-lasting impact on the way we eat, cook, and/or think about food in America.
- The Humanitarian of the Year Award is given to an individual or organization working in the realm of food who has given selflessly and worked tirelessly to better the lives of others and society at large.
Click here for information on the voting process for achievement awards.
JAMES BEARD AWARDS PROGRAMS
The Media Awards comprise three separate programs: Book, Broadcast Media, and Journalism Awards.
Book Awards
The Book Awards that are administered by the James Beard Foundation were started in 1966 by French’s Mustard as the R. T. French Tastemaker Awards. They were administered briefly and in turn by Duncan Hines, Joseph E. Seagram & Sons, and the International Association of Culinary Professionals. The James Beard Foundation brought them into the fold in 1990.
2023 Book Awards Committee
- Chair, Erica Skolnik, Global Bakery Senior Culinary Program Manager, Whole Foods Market
- Vice Chair, Marc Schermerhorn, President's Circle, Culinary Arts, Art Institute of Seattle
- Secretary, Jenny Hartin, Director of Publicity, Eat Your Books
- Scott Alves Barton, Chef/Cultural Anthropologist of African Diaspora Foodways, Notre Dame Dept of Africana Studies
- Wendell Brock, Food and Culture Writer, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
- Cheryl Day, Southern Legacy Baker, Author, Entrepreneur, and TV Host
- Rebekah Denn, Food Writer and Editor, Seattle
- Cynthia Greenlee, Historian, Editor, and Writer
- Nancie McDermott, Cookbook Author, Food Writer, and Cooking Teacher
Eligibility
Cookbooks and other non-fiction food or beverage-related books that were published in English in the U.S. in 2022 are eligible to enter the 2023 James Beard Book Awards. Books from foreign publishers must bear a 2022 U.S. copyright date. Publishers, editors, and authors submit their books for consideration in one of the Book Award categories. The categories may change each year to reflect trends in publishing.
Click here to view a full list of categories and eligibility criteria.
The Book Subcommittee reviews all entries for eligibility and may disqualify entries, reassign entries to different categories and remove certain categories if they see fit.
Judges and Judging
The Book Awards subcommittee members and its judges are editors, authors, journalists, and culinary educators.
Judges are recommended by Awards Committee and subcommittee members and are asked to apply annually. Book subcommittee members review applications, select judges and assign them to a category with which they have no conflicts of interest. Judges must have not contributed to a culinary book in the category they are judging during the current Awards year.
There are six judges per category. Committee members do not vote except in limited circumstances, such as for committee selected and Achievement Awards and when a judge is not able to complete their voting, as per Awards Committee and Subcommittee charter and operating procedures, respectively.
Judges are looking for books that contribute to the growing canon of information and knowledge about food and beverage. Content, accuracy, design, and writing style are among the elements considered.
Click here for information on the voting process for Media awards.
Committee-Chosen Awards
The Book Awards subcommittee selects the Emerging Voice and Cookbook Hall of Fame winner each year if they determine there is a worthy winner. Entries will not be accepted for these two categories.
Announcements
The nominees are announced in Spring. The winners are announced during the Media Awards ceremony in June.
Broadcast Media Awards
The Broadcast Media Awards were established in 1993 by the James Beard Foundation.
2023 Broadcast Media Awards Committee
- Chair, Cynthia Graubart, Cookbook Author; Former Culinary Television Producer
- Vice-Chair, Cathy Cochran-Lewis, Marketing and PR Director, Wicked Foods, Inc.
- Secretary, Afi Yellow-Duke, Associate Producer, WNYC
- Matthew McIntyre, Owner, Walkup Studio
- Sanjay Rawal, Filmmaker
- Jamie Tiampo, Founder, SeeFood Media
- Amy Vogler, Cookbook and Television Producer
Eligibility
The Broadcast Media Awards are open to all works in English from digital and terrestrial media — social media, radio, television broadcasts, podcasts, documentaries, and online sites — covering food and beverage topics and appearing widely for the first time in the United States in 2022. Content in another language may be submitted as long as an English translation or English subtitles are also provided. Producers, reporters, writers, hosts, and other people involved in the production submit their work for consideration.
Click here to view a full list of categories and eligibility criteria.
The Broadcast Media subcommittee reviews all entries for eligibility and may disqualify entries, reassign entries to different categories and remove certain categories if they see fit.
Judges and Judging
The Broadcast Media Awards subcommittee members and its judges are experts in the Broadcast Media field. Their experience may come from producing, teaching, editing, writing and more.
Judges are recommended by the Awards committee and subcommittee members and are asked to apply annually. The Broadcast Media subcommittee reviews applications, select judges and assign them to a category with which they have no conflicts of interest. Judges must not have contributed to any entry submitted in the category they are judging.
There are a minimum of six judges per category. Committee members do not vote except in limited circumstances, such as for the Emerging Voice committee-selected award, Achievement Awards, or if a judge is not able to complete their voting.
Judges are looking for content, originality, high production values, and a fresh perspective on food and beverage-related topics.
Click here for information on the voting process for Media awards.
Committee-Chosen Awards
The Broadcast Media Awards subcommittee selects the Emerging Voice Award winner each year if they determine there is a worthy candidate. Entries will not be accepted for this category.
Announcements
The nominees are announced in Spring. The winners are announced during the Media Awards ceremony in June.
Journalism Awards
The Journalism Awards were established by the James Beard Foundation in 1992.
2023 Journalism Awards Committee
- Chair, Jamila Robinson, Food Editor, Philadelphia Inquirer
- Vice Chair, Gustavo Arellano, Feature Reporter, Los Angeles Times
- Secretary, Von Diaz, Writer, Professor, Documentarian
- Steven Alvarez, Associate Professor of English, St. John's University
- Zahir Janmohamed, Visiting Assistant Professor of English, Bowdoin College; Co-Founder of Racist Sandwich Podcast
- Maura Judkis, Reporter, Washington Post
- Rochelle Oliver, Founder/Managing Editor, islandandspice.com
- Krishnendu Ray, Professor of Food Studies at NYU
- Brigid Ransome Washington, Cookbook Author and Food Writer
Eligibility
Work published – or self-published – in 2022 in any medium are eligible for entry. Entries must be in English and cover food- or drink-related topics. Entries in other languages may be submitted if an English translation is also provided. Writers, journalists, and editors may submit their articles for consideration.
Click here to view a full list of categories and eligibility criteria.
The Journalism subcommittee reviews all entries for eligibility and may disqualify entries, reassign entries to different categories and remove certain categories if they see fit.
Judges and Judging
The Journalism Awards subcommittee members and judges may consist of working editors, journalists, retired food and beverage editors and writers, as well as deans of and professors at leading journalism schools or departments at colleges and universities.
There are approximately six judges per category. Committee members do not vote except in limited circumstances, such as for committee selected and Achievement Awards and when a judge is not able to complete their voting.
The judges are looking for accurate, insightful reporting, exceptional stories, unusual perspectives, and other attributes of fine journalism as they pertain to food and beverage topics.
Click here for information on the voting process for Media awards.
Committee-Chosen Awards
The Journalism Awards Committee selects the Emerging Voice Award winner each year if they determine there is a worthy candidate. Entries will not be accepted for this category.
Announcements
The nominees are announced in Spring. The winners are announced during the Media Awards ceremony in June.
Restaurant and Chef Awards
The Restaurant and Chef awards were established by the James Beard Foundation in 1990; the first ceremony took place in 1991.
2023 Restaurant and Chef Awards Committee
- Chair, Adrian Miller, The Soul Food Scholar
- Vice Chair, Allecia Vermillion, Executive Editor, Seattle Met Magazine
- Secretary, Lauren Saria, Editor, Eater San Francisco
- Emma Balter, Food Editor, Chron.com/Houston Chronicle Media Group
- Myron Beasley, Ph.D., Professor, Bates College
- Felicia Campbell, Food, Dining and Nightlife Editor, The Arizona Republic/Gannett
- Martha Cheng, Writer, Self Employed/Honolulu Magazine
- Julia Clancy, Food Writer, Editor, and Cookbook Co-Author
- Liz Cook, Freelance Food Writer, The Pitch / Haterade
- Serena Maria Daniels, Founder/Editor, Tostada Magazine
- Devita Davison, Executive Director, FoodLab Detroit
- Amanda Faison, Freelance Food Writer and Cookbook Editor
- Stella Fong, Freelance Writer/Radio Host, Montana Food Section/ Yellowstone Public Radio
- Jenn Harris, Food Columnist, Video Host, and Producer, Los Angeles Times
- Kysha Harris, Entrepreneur; Food Editor, SCHOPI, The Spruce Eats
- Craig Laban, Restaurant Critic, The Philadelphia Inquirer
- Mackensy Lunsford, Editor, Southern Kitchen; Food and Culture Storyteller USA Today South
- Nikki Miller-Ka, Food Writer, Foodandwine.com
- Tarik Moody, Content Producer; Food Podcast Host and Producer, 88Nine Radio Milwaukee
- Jed Portman, Editor, Midwesterner
- José Ralat, Taco Editor, Texas Monthly
- Adam Reiner, Hospitality Professional/Blogger, The Restaurant Manifesto
- Brian Schwartz, Food Writer, Oklahoma Magazine
- Erinn Tucker, Ph.D., Professor, Director, Georgetown University
Call for Recommendations
Subcommittee members and judges research and submit recommendations for all categories. In addition, industry members and the public are invited to submit a recommendation for a chef or restaurant who exemplifies excellence in their craft and represents the vast diversity of cuisines, foodways, beverages, and styles that make up the culinary landscape of America. Recommendations are reviewed by the subcommittee for consideration when creating the ballot of semifinalists. The entries are not official nominations. There is no entry fee to submit a recommendation.
Judges and Judging
The Restaurant and Chef Awards voting body comprises members who have the ability to independently evaluate chefs and restaurants. Subcommittee members are either national representatives or regional and are divided evenly among the Award regions. Regional committee members live in their assigned regions and national committee members are frequent travelers who are up-to-date on the national food trends. Members include food and beverage writers, critics, editors, book authors, media producers, food studies scholars, and culinary instructors. Others who could also qualify include: food studies scholars, former chefs, restaurateurs, and diners from other professional backgrounds with knowledge of the restaurant scene in their region.
In addition to the subcommittee, the Restaurant and Chef voting body consists of judges who are responsible for surfacing new restaurants and talent for consideration, taste food and/or beverage of the semifinalists and nominees, participate in committee-led discussions regarding dining experiences, and vote for winners on a number of criteria determined by the subcommittee. (In the 2022 Awards cycle, judge responsibilities were split between scouting and tasting. Moving forward responsibilities have been combined for each judge.)
As of 2022, previous winners of the Restaurant and Chef Awards do not automatically join the voting body. Previous winners from the last three (3) years can be selected by the subcommittee to serve as judges.
The subcommittee produces a ballot with approximately 20 semifinalists in each category (30 for Best New Restaurant). These semifinalists are announced in winter. Judges and subcommittee members are assigned semifinalists in their region to taste. They then score each semifinalist on a number of criteria determined by the subcommittee. The five semifinalists with the highest average score per category (10 for Best New Restaurant) are announced as the nominees.
The nominees in each category are announced in Spring.
Judges and subcommittee members dine at nominees, participate in discussions to share their dining experiences, then vote for winners. The top scoring nominee per category is announced as the winner.
Winners are announced at the Awards ceremony in June.
Click here for information on the voting process for the Restaurant and Chef Awards.
Criteria for Restaurant and Chef Awards
The James Beard Foundation’s Restaurant and Chef Awards honor members of the American food, beverage, and hospitality industries who demonstrate excellence in their respective fields. Winners show exceptional talent and creativity in their craft and commendable leadership among their colleagues and peers. The James Beard Foundation is dedicated to promoting a strong, safe, inclusive, ethical food community, and these Awards reflect those values.
To remain current with the constantly evolving restaurant demographics across the country, every few years the James Beard Foundation takes a deeper look at how its Awards regions are distributed. Regions were recently redistributed in September 2019 after an in-depth analysis performed with the help of outside data consultants. These regions will remain the same for the 2023 Awards.
As the pandemic continues to have a lasting effect on the industry throughout the country, the Foundation will continue to evaluate its Awards regions.
Committee-Chosen Awards
Each year, the Restaurant and Chef Awards Committee submits recommendations for, discusses, votes on, and selects the America’s Classics winners. Six of the 12 regions are included within each Awards cycle and rotated the next cycle so that each region is included every other year. The public may submit recommendations for this category and committee members make the ultimate decision.
Eligibility
As of the 2023 Awards cycle, the Restaurant and Chef Awards defines the annual eligibility timeframe as October through September (formerly January through December), to allow the voting body more time to consider businesses opening later in the calendar year. For the June 2023 Restaurant & Chef Awards, the eligibility timeframe will be January 1, 2022 through September 30, 2022. Businesses opening after September 30, 2022 will be under consideration for the June 2024 Awards.
Click here to view a full list of categories and eligibility criteria.
Leadership Awards
The James Beard Foundation’s Leadership Awards spotlight the important and complex realms of sustainability, food justice, and public health. They raise awareness of these timely issues by celebrating the visionaries responsible for creating a healthier, safer, and more equitable, and sustainable food system.
2023 Leadership Awards Committee
- Chair, Irene Li, President, Mei Mei, Prepshift
- Co-Vice Chair, Lakisha May, Artist/Advocate
- Co-Vice Chair, Lindsey Ofcacek, Managing Director/Wine Director, The LEE Initiative, 610 Magnolia
- Secretary, Catherine Piccoli, Curatorial Director, The Museum of Food and Drink
- Dara Cooper, Co-Founder, Sr. Advisor and Vibe Curator, National Black Food and Justice Alliance
- Soleil Ho, SF Chronicle
- Danielle Nierenberg, President, Food Tank
- Sean Sherman, CEO/Founder, The Sioux Chef; NATIFS.org
Eligibility
Anyone may enter their recommendation for the Leadership Awards. Additional recommendations are solicited from previous Leadership Award winners and current Leadership committee members.
Click here to view a full list of categories and eligibility criteria.
Judges and Judging
The committee reviews and scores recommendations to create a ballot of top candidates. Previous Leadership Award winners and judges selected by the committee vote on the top candidates. The top scoring candidates in each category are announced as the winners at the Leadership Awards ceremony in June in Chicago.
The Leadership Awards recognize specific outstanding initiatives, as well as bodies of work and lifetime achievement. Excellence of work, innovation in approach, and scale of impact within a community or the nation are among the criteria used to select the recipients.
Click here for information on the voting process for Leadership Awards.
James Beard Awards Emeritus Committee Members
The James Beard Awards Emeritus Committee program was created to recognize committee members whose terms have ended, for their contributions to the Awards program.
Emeritus committee members represent a wealth of industry experience across diverse sectors and remain deeply committed to the work we are doing. Members are invited and agree to serve in an advisory capacity and are officially active for two 2-year terms. The Emeritus program, one of the Awards 2021 audit recommendations, is effective as of the 2022 Awards cycle.
- Patricia Calhoun, Editor, Westword (Journalism Awards Committee)
- Hsiao-Ching Chou, Cookbook Author (Book Awards Committee, Emeritus Chair)
- Ren LaForme, Managing Editor, The Poynter Institute (Journalism Awards Committee)
- Ken Rubin, Chief Culinary Officer, Rouxbe (Broadcast Media Awards Committee, Emeritus Chair)
- Diane Worthington, Author, James Beard Award Winner, Broadcaster, Tribune Content Agency (Broadcast Media Awards Committee)
- Emerald Yeh, Television Journalist (Awards Committee)
2021 Awards Audit
In 2020-2021 the James Beard Foundation conducted an audit of the policies and procedures. For more information about the James Beard Awards audit here.
James Beard Foundation reserves the right to update and make changes that do not affect the integrity of the Awards and its operating procedures.