D.C. Takes Home Two National Titles at the 2024 James Beard Awards

The James Beard Foundation announced the winners of its 2024 Restaurant and Chef Awards during a glitzy Monday night gala at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. A coast-to-coast cast of well-dressed chefs, restaurateurs, and other hospitality professionals were awarded dozens of coveted medals in what is largely considered the Oscars of the food world.

Two D.C. chefs won the first and last — and arguably, biggest — annual awards of the night. Masako Morishita of Adams Morgan’s Japanese showpiece Perry’s (named Eater DC’s 2023 Chef of the Year) was crowned Emerging Chef of the Year. “This is my wildest American dream come true,” she said, thanking her husband and “biggest cheerleader” who was there in the audience. The Kyoto-born chef took the reins of the longstanding D.C. restaurant in 2022, going on to wow with nostalgic Japanese comfort foods that she says are sometimes “overshadowed” by sushi and ramen.

For the evening’s final award, Albi’s Michael Rafidi won for Outstanding Chef — a huge nationwide accolade that went to D.C.’s Oyster Oyster chef Rob Rubba last year. Rubba passed the title’s torch as an onstage presenter alongside past honoree Nancy Silverton, the LA-based chef with a Georgetown restaurant in the works. At Rafidi’s wood-burning Middle Eastern marvel Albi, which means “my heart” in Arabic, Navy Yard diners can go a la carte or opt for a $145-per-person tasting menu.

Photo by Daniel Boczarski/Getty Images for James Beard Foundation

Wearing a keffiyeh wrapped around his black suit jacket, Rafidi thanked his Palestinian grandparents and mom, “who paved the way for me to be here tonight.” He sported a similar scarf on the Chicago red carpet when he was up for Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic last June, which was just months before the Israel-Hamas war erupted. He dedicated his 2024 award to “all” Palestinian people both near and far. “This couldn’t be more timely,” noted Iranian-born commentator (and Food & Wine’s former editor-in-chief) Nilou Motamed from backstage.

Small towns not too far from D.C. also enjoyed big wins last night. That included Harley Peet of Easton, Maryland’s Viennese fine dining sensation Bas Rouge, who beat out Moon Rabbit’s D.C. chef Kevin Tien (as well as Tony Conte of Darnestown, Maryland’s Inferno Pizzeria Napoletana) for the regional Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic category. And Paul Smith clinched the Best Chef: Southeast title for 1010 Bridge — marking the first major honor for a West Virginia restaurant (the state did, however, have a 2019 America’s Classics Winner).

Photo by Jeff Schear/Getty Images for James Beard Foundation

Meanwhile, other local finalists ultimately didn’t take home a 2024 medal. That included Moon Rabbit’s Susan Bae, who was up for Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker; Hollis Wells Silverman (The Duck & The Peach, La Collina, The Wells and others) for Outstanding Restaurateur; Tail Up Goat (Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program); and Baltimore’s Clavel Mezcaleria (Outstanding Bar).

Celebrity chefs Nyesha Arrington, Richard Blais, Amanda Freitag, and Marcus Samuelsson presided over the lavish ceremony, which was followed by a Champagne-fueled afterparty at Chicago’s Beaux-Arts train station.

The Media Awards took place on Saturday, June 8 — read the full winners list here.

Watch the 2024 James Beard Awards Restaurant and Chef Awards ceremony here:

Disclosure: Some Vox Media staff members are part of the voting body for the James Beard Awards. Eater is partnering with the James Beard Foundation to livestream the awards in 2024. All editorial content is produced independently of the James Beard Foundation.