A Dream Come True: The Men Who Dine Attend The James Beard Awards

James Beard Award Winner Andrew Zimmern with his wife on the red carpet

When you get a chance to attend the James Beard Foundation Awards, you drop everything and go.  Such was the case for two-thirds of Men Who Dine and this year’s 25^th Anniversary festivities. 

The Golden Ticket!!

Approximately 4 days before the awards’ gala, Gennaro & I (Alan was away on vacation) received the news we were waiting for, “You guys are going to the James Beard Awards.”  My heart actually skipped a beat.  My brain went into overdrive to figure out the course of action that needed to be taken to actually attend the awards. 

Chef Chris Cosentino of Incanto in San Francisco

The first item on the agenda was to rent a more professional camera than the one I usually use.  I wasn’t about to have us working the red carpet with my little point and shoot.  So I made a phone call to Unique Photo, a camera store in Fairfield, NJ that quickly got to work to fulfill my pro camera rental needs.  The second item on the agenda was to acquire formal wear, in other words a tuxedo.  So I immediately drove over to the closest men’s formal wear store, which will remain nameless because I was a little disappointed with the tux I received.  But I do have to give them credit for getting a tux to me in less than one day’s notice. 

James Beard Award Winners Linton Hopkins (Restaurant Eugene) & Michael Anthony (Gramercy Tavern)

With those two integral pieces secured, I was ready to take on the awards.  Now for those of you who are unfamiliar with the James Beard Foundation Awards, they are equivalent to what the Oscars are to Hollywood.  It’s a cliché comparison, but one that is pretty spot on.  James Beard Award Winners are bestowed honor and distinction among their peers.  And there is an unbelievably great chance that come the day after the awards, winning restaurants will be booked for months to come.

Stephen and Craig Huse (Owners of St. Elmo Steak House in Indianapolis, Indiana)

I was anxious all weekend.  I couldn’t wait for Monday to roll around and was ecstatic when it finally did.  By 4:00 pm, Gennaro and I were dressed to nines making our way to Avery Fisher Hall in NYC.  We checked in and were shown to our spot on the red carpet.  RED CARPET!  I’ve only ever seen a red carpet on TV, now we were working the cameras on a real red carpet.  It was surreal to say the least.  We were ready for the festivities to get underway, and once they did it was nonstop.  Gennaro was running the camera, while I was live tweeting and taking backup pictures with my trusty Canon point and shoot. 

Rising Star Chef of the Year: Christina Tosi of Momofuku Milk Bar

It was impressive to see all the heavy hitters in the food world walk the red carpet mere inches in front of me.  I was lucky enough to be standing next to Fox News, so whenever a chef stopped to do a quick interview, I was able to snap away and snap away I did.  As the last celebrity chefs made their way down the red carpet, Gennaro and I found our way into the hall.  I had the opportunity to sit in as a few of the awards were given out.  I got to see Christina Tosi of Momofuku Milk Bar receive the award for Rising Star Chef, a well-deserved accomplishment for the young woman who gave the world “crack pie” (one of my favorite treats).  It was truly amazing to see these great chefs get the recognition they rightfully deserve.

Garrett Oliver (Head Brewmaster of Brooklyn Brewery)

After a few award presentations, I decided to join Gennaro in the press room.  The room was abuzz with a lot of activity.  It was the media hub of the event.  There was computer upon computer manned by both men & women who were informing the rest of the world who the winning chefs were.  The press room was also the place where the winning chefs came to after receiving the coveted medal.  WOW!  I was impressed by this amazing sight. 

Chef Bradley Ogden with his grilled cheese & clam soup

Once the awards ceremony let out that is when the real “partying” began.  Avery Fisher Hall was taken over by some of the country’s best chefs cooking for their peers and the award winners.  We had the opportunity to walk around and take in the festivities.  Here I was in the same room with the best chefs in the country.  I was thankful and inspired to be in the same room.  I hope I am lucky enough to attend next year’s festivities.  And I highly recommend that when tickets go on sale, you purchase yourself one.  You will not regret it!

Charm City Cakes’ replica of James Beard’s townhouse

To see all of the pictures we took please visit our Men Who Dine Facebook page: http://www.Facebook.com/MenWhoDine. 

Congratulations to all of this year’s award winners!

Here is the list of all the 2012 James Beard Foundation Award Winners:

Best New Restaurant: Next (Chicago, Illinois)

Outstanding Chef: Daniel Humm of Eleven Madison Park (New York City)

Outstanding Pastry Chef: Mindy Segal of Mindy’s Hot Chocolate (Chicago, Illinois)

Outstanding Restaurant: Boulevard (San Francisco, California)

Outstanding Restaurateur: Tom Douglas of Tom Douglas Restaurants (Seattle, Washington) 

Outstanding Service: La Grenouille (New York City)

Outstanding Wine & Spirits Professional: Paul Grieco of Terroir (New York City)

Outstanding Wine Program: No. 9 Park (Boston, Massachusetts)

Outstanding Bar Program: PDT (New York City)

Rising Star Chef of the Year: Christina Tosi of Momofuku Milk Bar (New York City)

REGIONAL CHEF AWARDS

Great Lakes: Bruce Sherman of North Pond (Chicago, Illinois)

Mid-Atlantic: Maricel Presilla of Cucharamama (Hoboken, New Jersey)

Midwest: Tory Miller of L’Etoile (Madison, Wisconsin)

New York City: Michael Anthony of Gramercy Tavern (New York City)

Northeast: Tim Cushman of O Ya (Boston, Massachusetts)

Northwest: Matt Dillon of Sitka & Spruce (Seattle, Washington)

Pacific: Matt Molina of Osteria Mozza (Los Angeles, California)

South: Chris Hastings of Hot and Hot Fish Club (Birmingham, Alabama)

Southeast (tie): Hugh Acheson of Five and Ten in Athens, Ga. & Linton Hopkins of Restaurant Eugene in Atlanta

Southwest: Paul Qui of Uchiko (Austin, Texas)

James Beard Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award: Wolfgang Puck

James Beard Foundation Humanitarian of the Year: Charlie Trotter

James Beard Foundation Who’s Who of Food & Beverage in America Inductees:
– Grant Achatz, chef and author, Chicago
– Mark Bittman, journalist and author, New York
– Dana Cowin, editor-in-chief at Food and Wine magazine, New York
– Emily Luchetti, pastry chef and author, San Francisco
– Marvin Shanken, publisher, New York

James Beard Foundation America’s Classics

– The Fry Bread House (Phoenix, Arizona)
   Owner: Cecelia Miller

– Nora’s Fish Creek Inn (Wilson, Wyoming)
   Owners: Nora Tygum, Trace Tygum and Kathryn Tygum Taylor

– St. Elmo Steak House (Indianapolis, Indiana)
   Owners: Stephen Huse and Craig Huse

– Jones Bar-B-Q Diner (Marianna, Arkansas)
   Owners: James and Betty Jones

– Shady Glen (Manchester, Connecticut)
   Owners: William and Annette Hoch