Beard Awards Predictions
All right, all right. Everyone has been asking me to make my predictions for the big national James Beard Awards (and the New York chef award) tonight at Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center in New York. So, I'm going to do it. There are a couple of things everyone should know about the Beard Awards. The electorate tends to tilt toward New York chefs and restaurants and figures with a high media profile. I make my predictions with that notion in mind.
Best Chef, New York City
- Michael Anthony, Gramercy Tavern
- Terrance Brennan, Picholine
- David Chang, Momofuku Ssäm Bar
- Wylie Dufresne, WD-50
- Gabriel Kreuther, The Modern
I think it's between Chang, who I'm sure is proclaiming he is not worthy, and Wylie Dufresne, who really is moving serious food forward as much as Chang (I know that's not what the award is given for, but I wanted to say it anyway). I think Chang is going to win it, but the voters may think it's just too soon for him to get this award.
Outstanding Restaurateur Award
- Joe Bastianich/Mario Batali, Babbo Ristorante e Enoteca, New York City
- Tom Douglas, Tom Douglas Restaurants, Seattle
- Richard Melman, Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, Chicago
- Wolfgang Puck, The Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining Group, Beverly Hills
- Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Jean-Georges Management, New York City
I think the Babbo boys are going to win it, but Puck could just as easily take it. He certainly has a huge national profile.
Outstanding Restaurant Award
This is a restaurant in the United States that serves as a national standard-bearer for consistent quality and excellence in food, atmosphere, and service. Candidates must have been in operation for at least ten consecutive years.
- Boulevard, San Francisco; chef/owner, Nancy Oakes; owner, Pat Kuleto
- Campanile, Los Angeles; chef/owner, Mark Peel
- Gramercy Tavern, New York; owner, Danny Meyer
- Jean Georges, New York; chef/owner, Jean-Georges Vongerichten
- The Slanted Door, San Francisco; chef/owner, Charles Phan
I think either Gramercy Tavern or Jean Georges is going to win this award. In the past James Beard judges have shown they love Danny Meyer and have profound respect for Jean Georges. I'm going to go with Gramercy Tavern.
Best New Restaurant
A restaurant opened in 2007 that already displays excellence in food, beverage, and service and is likely to have a significant impact on the industry in years to come.
- Anthos, New York; chef/owner, Michael Psilakis; owner: Donatella Arpaia
- Central Michel Richard, Washington, D.C.; chef/owner, Michel Richard
- Fearing's at the Ritz Carlton, Dallas; chef/owner, Dean Fearing, The Ritz-Carlton
- Osteria Mozza, Los Angeles; chef, Matt Molina; owners, Nancy Silverton, Mario Batali, Joseph Bastianich
- Osteria, Philadelphia; chef/owners, Marc Vetri, Jeff Michaud; owner, Jeff Benjamin
This is the strongest candidate list for this award in recent memory. I've eaten at every one of these restaurants except for Osteria, and having eaten Vetri's food in Philly and New York I have no doubt that Osteria is a worthy contender. I'm going to go with Osteria Mozza, but Anthos, Fearing's, and Central Michel Richard could all possibly win.
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9 Comments:
is this award ceremony televised?
anado at 7:32PM on 06/08/08
When choosing best restaurant, best new restaurant, best chef, etc., what are the criteria for the awards? Best cookbook can be judged easily by either preparing a sampling of the recipes or measuring circulation. I was always curious about how the winners were chosen.
chiff0nade at 8:50PM on 06/08/08
I don't think they are chosen by a panel of judges. I believe they are simply chosen by voting. I went onto their site last year actually and they had a web form on which you could vote for their nominees, and even enter your own write-ins. I have no idea if my votes were really counted though...
simon at 10:46PM on 06/08/08
I have eaten at both and I agree with Mr. Levine. They love Danny Meyer.This time to a fault.
I can state with confidence that they got this one (Outstanding Restaurant) wrong big time. Jean Georges is the better restaurant as far as food and service goes. Jean Georges has earned 3 Michelins, 4 NYT stars, 5 Mobile stars(10 years in a row). So I have good backing on my arguement.
It's too bad the Beards are a popularity contest, which is probably one of the reasons it is called "the Culinary Oscars".
Now about the voting: I thought it was a panel of their peers who cast the final vote as well as food critics. Is this correct?????
SweetHeat at 11:54PM on 06/08/08
You are right SweetHeat. It is both a panel of peers (past winners) and food writers. The Beard Foundation did solicit outside input for potential restaurant and chef nominees, but only for initial consideration and not the final ballot.
Ed Levine at 1:46AM on 06/09/08
There's got to be a way to get a wider voting base. Do they set up a link anywhere else to offer voting? Maybe on publication websites like epicurious.com or other food magazine sites? Amazon.com? Zagat.com?
chiff0nade at 4:56AM on 06/09/08
3 out of 4 Ed. Not bad!!!
Zach Brooks at 7:45AM on 06/09/08
Wow, so my votes were meaningless! I feel so disenfranchised ;)
simon at 10:36AM on 06/09/08
your votes weren't meaningless, simon. They were put in with the suggestions from many different sources in an attempt to compile a reasonable initial ist in each region to work from.
Ed Levine at 11:20AM on 06/09/08