On Monday, June 13, The James Beard Foundation announced its 2022 Restaurant and Chef Awards winners for the returning James Beard Awards, with the winners being celebrated at the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards ceremony at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.
In both the Outstanding Baker and Outstanding Pastry Chef categories, five nominees were selected. Among them were:
Outstanding Pastry Chef (Qualifications: A pastry chef or a chef who makes desserts, pastries or breads served as part of a meal. Candidate demonstrates exceptional skills and can be affiliated with any food business and does not need a brick-and-mortar presence. Must have been working as a pastry chef or chef who makes desserts for the past three years.)
- Warda Bouguettaya, Warda Pâtisserie, Detroit
- Margarita Manzke, République, Los Angeles
- Claudia Martinez, Miller Union, Atlanta
- Ruben Ortega, Xochi, Houston
- Caroline Schiff, Gage & Tollner, NYC
Outstanding Baker (Qualifications: A baker of breads, pastries or desserts who displays exceptional skill. Must consistently sell goods directly to the public, but does not need a brick-and-mortar presence and must have been working as a pastry chef or baker for the past three years.)
- Maya-Camille Broussard, Justice of the Pies, Chicago
- Atsuko Fujimoto, Norimoto Bakery, Portland, ME
- Don Guerra, Barrio Bread, Tucson, AZ
- Caroline Schweitzer and Lauren Heemstra, Wild Crumb, Bozeman, MT
- Zak Stern, Zak the Baker, Miami
This year’s winner for Outstanding Pastry Chef is Warda Bouguettaya of Warda Pâtisserie in Detroit, Michigan, while the Outstanding Baker is Don Guerra of Barrio Bread in Tucson, Arizona.
The following are other key awards handed out in this year’s James Beard Foundation awards:
Outstanding Restaurateur
Chris Bianco, Tratto, Pane Bianco, and Pizzeria Bianco, Phoenix
Outstanding Chef
Mashama Bailey, The Grey, Savannah, GA
Outstanding Restaurant
Chai Pani, Asheville, NC
Emerging Chef
Edgar Rico, Nixta Taqueria, Austin
Best New Restaurant
Owamni, Minneapolis
“The Awards are a great reminder that we are among innovators, entrepreneurs and trailblazers who represent a wide range of regions, cultures and cooking philosophies,” says Tanya Holland, chair of the James Beard Awards Committee. “And this year, in particular, is a great reminder of how incredibly diverse our industry is. I am proud of the changes the James Beard Foundation has made to the Awards program to ensure equity and inclusion, and though it is just the beginning of an ongoing commitment, we are already seeing the impact. This is the most diverse list I’ve seen in Awards history, and I am honored to be a part of that change.”
The 2022 edition was the first James Beard Awards since 2019.
