Let’s Talk About How Lady Chefs OWNED The James Beard Awards

If you’ve spent any time in the food-o-sphere in the last 48 hours, you’re very well aware that the James Beard Awards were on Monday night. And while Ken Friedman, who took the award for Outstanding Restaurateur, is definitely our hero (never change, Ken Friedman), we’re amped about how much love the lady chefs got. In an industry that’s still heavily male-dominated (Food & Wine’s Best New Chefs list included a mere ONE woman), they were finally given some credit where credit is most certainly due.

Suzanne Goin, of Lucques in Los Angeles took home the night’s top honor, the award for Outstanding Chef. Daniela Soto-Innes, of Cosme in New York City won the award for Rising Star Chef, and Dahlia Narvaez took home the coveted honor of Outstanding Pastry chef. The New York Times has reported that the last time all three of these awards went to women was in 2004.

Joanne Chang, of Flower Cafe & Bakery in Boston won the award for Outstanding Baker, and Renee Erickson of The Whale Wins in Seattle won Best Chef Southeast. Of course, there was also Leah Chase, of Dooky Chase’s Restaurand in New Orleans who, at 93 years old won the Lifetime Achievement award.

Compared to last year, this is a huge jump. In 2015, only Jessica Largey, Christina Tosi and Nicole Krasinski took home Chef & Restaurant awards.

Congrats to all of the James Beard Award Winners from 2016! #GirlPower.

[image via Instagram]

[H/T New York Times]

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