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Phoenix Chef Takes Home James Beard Award for Best Chef: Southwest

Rene Andrade from Phoenix’s Bacanora received the honor Monday evening

by Missy Frederick
2024 James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards
Rene Andrade accepting the Best Chef Southwest award in Chicago.
Photo by Daniel Boczarski/Getty Images for James Beard Foundation
Missy Frederick is the Cities Director for Eater.

Phoenix-based chef Rene Andrade of Bacanora has received the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Southwest. Bacanora, which focuses on Sonoran comfort food, opened in 2021.

The awards, considered the “Oscars” of the food world, were given out in a ceremony Monday evening in Chicago, recognizing excellence in the industry in everything from hospitality to outstanding bakery. The award given to Andrade is focused on chefs in Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, and Oklahoma. A full list of winners, recognizing chefs and restaurants across the country, is here.

Andrade was one of two Arizona chefs to make the finalist list, while a total of seven were on the less narrowed semifinalist list.

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.

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