James Beard Awards Make History With Heavy Focus On Diversity, Inclusivity

The James Beard Foundation announced winners in Chicago last night for its annual awards celebrating excellence in cuisine, with an emphasis on honoring marginalized groups.
While major cities like San Francisco, Seattle, and New York were shut out, smaller cities and towns received accolades.
For the first time, an Indigenous chef and a restaurant from Puerto Rico won awards.
The Foundation retooled criteria to evaluate equity, community, and sustainability in addition to culinary skill.
In a stark departure from years past, 25 of about 30 honorees were people of color.