The James Beard Foundation Awards shine a spotlight on the best and brightest talent in the food and beverage industry.

The Oscars of the food world.
Time Magazine

Covering all aspects of the industryfrom chefs and restaurateurs to cookbook authors and food journalists to restaurant designers and architects and morethe James Beard Foundation Awards are the highest honors for food and beverage professionals working in America. The awards are presented each spring at Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center. Nominees and winners are fted at a weekend of gala events in New York City that has become the social and gastronomic highlight of the year.

James Beard was known for many things, but first and foremost he was a teachera generous mentor and supporter of chefs. He was a tireless champion for American cuisine and those who sought to advance its place in the world of food. Today, we honor this legacy with our annual Awards, celebrating the very best and brightest in our now world-class arena.

This years Awards theme, The Legacy Continues, celebrates the spirit of mentorship that Beard embodied and that is so important in the advancement of the culinary arts. Through the years weve presented the JBF Outstanding Chef Award to 20 prolific professionals and, in keeping with this years theme, we have given those Award winners the opportunity to shine a spotlight on chefs they believe are extraordinary examples of excellence in our culinary world. The 2010 Awards Gala Reception will feature these established and emerging talents from around the country, who will showcase what theyve learned from the chefs that have come before them and the innovations they bring to the ever-changing landscape of American food.

Established in 1990, the James Beard Foundation Awards are a program of the James Beard Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to celebrate, nurture, and preserve Americas culinary heritage and diversity in order to elevate our appreciation of the culinary arts. For more information, to join as a member, to learn more about James Beard, or to sign up to receive Beard Bites, our free electronic newsletter, visit www.jamesbeard.org.

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