James Beard Award Winning Restaurants
the Northwest.
As a local Seattleite, I am not surprised Canlis won. But let’s look at other James Beard award winning restaurants and chefs in Seattle.
Another local favorite chef won his award back in 1994 and then again in 2012. Tom Douglas took home the Best Chef award in 1994 and then Best Restaurateur in 2012. It’s no surprise Tom Douglas was awarded for a second time; he currently has 16 restaurants in downtown Seattle alone. Opened in 2013, TanakaSan is the mastermind from Tom Douglas and business partner, and coincidentally enough James Beard winner Best Chef in America in 2004, Eric Tanaka. My personal favorite Tom Douglas restaurant is Lola. Whether you are there for brunch or dinner, happy hour or dessert, Lola’s Mediterranean inspired food is sure to please.
We can’t talk about James Beard awards without mentioning Edouardo Jordan, who won best Chef in the Northwest, and his new restaurant JuneBaby. JuneBaby, Edouardo’s second restaurant, also won best new restaurant last year. Edouardo’s restaurants are worth the inevitable long line due to his accolades. JuneBaby offers something close to Edouardo’s heart: southern food. From biscuits to fried catfish, JuneBaby will have something that will please anyone. On a different spectrum, Edouardo’s first restaurant Salare, offers a rich culture of food, with influences of Europe, the Caribbean islands, and Africa.
When Jason Wilson closed Crush in 2015, it felt like the end of an era. But Jason, winner of Best Chef in the Northwest in 2010, was busy at his latest restaurant, Miller’s Guild. Located in Hotel Max, this dimly lit classic style restaurant boasts a nine-foot grill in the back. If you sit at the long, butcher block table, you can watch as your meal is prepared and salivate until it is ready for consumption.
James Beard awards are not just for chefs and restauranteurs. In 2011, FareStart received the Humanitarian of the Year award. This non-profit offers on the job training for Seattle’s homeless and disadvantaged. Founded in 1988, FareStart was a business that delivered meals to homeless shelters. However, the founder decided to train those in the shelter, which in turn allowed them to find a job after they graduated from the program. With 90% of students finding a job after graduation, it’s safe to say FareStart is working hard to feed the hungry in more ways than one.
Seattle is a culturally diverse city. Everywhere you turn, you are sure to find a great new restaurant offering delicious cuisines from Asia, Africa, and beyond. While not all chefs seek a James Beard award, many are honored to be recognized. Best chef in the northwest nominated Logan Cox, formerly of Sitka and Spruce (whose owner Matt Dillon also won a James Beard award for best chef in the northwest in 2012), opened his restaurant in the North Beacon Hill neighborhood. Homer offers middle eastern and Mediterranean flavors with a wood-fire grill as its main centerpiece.
Congratulations to all of this years winners, semi-finalists, and those who were nominated.