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Over a thousand leading lights of the US hospitality industry were in attendance at Chicago’s Lyric Opera House for the return of the James Beard Foundation Awards gala ceremony. We caught up with two of the night’s biggest winners for their reactions immediately after.
Meherwan Irani of Chai Pani, North Carolina
The Outstanding Restaurant award, sponsored by Acqua Panna, was presented to Chai Pani in Asheville, NC. We spoke to chef Meherwan Irani about what it means to win this award.
How do you feel?
Irani: Overwhelmed. It just feels incongruous that when we started this restaurant, that we’d ever be standing here today. My biggest takeaway is how the industry has changed and how amazing that is for everyone that’s coming into the business now.
What does it mean for you and your team?
Irani: It’s a validation that a restaurant is more than just the sum of its parts, as in what’s inside the four walls. It means that you have to build a team that wants to reach out into the community and that wants to give back as much as it receives. It’s a validation that if you focus on that first, then amazing things happen.
Was this an award that you were shooting for?
Irani: Absolutely not. It was completely out of the blue. I’ve been nominated five times for Best Chef South East and I was hoping to maybe make that shortlist again. But for the restaurant to get nominated…. It was even more important, because the problem with the Best Chef is that it celebrates an individual, and this nomination, we’re going to celebrate it, and everybody who’s a part of this restaurant is going to celebrate it.
Were you surprised?
Irani: You know we love what we do and we think the restaurant is amazing, but to actually be considered an 'Outstanding Restaurant', it’s very hard to imagine, because of the impossibility of the category. We were happy to be nominated. I joked that I was happy just to be on that list of nominees and not win because winning is such a big deal and so many restaurants are deserving of this award, and to be singled out felt like it was unfair to every other restaurant. I just hope that everyone gets a chance.
See the full list of the 2022 James Beard Foundation Award winners
Edgar Rico
Edgar Rico of Nixta Taqueria, Austin, Texas
The award of Emerging Chef, Sponsored by S.Pellegrino, went to Edgar Rico of Nixta Taqueria, Austin. Here you can read his reaction:
How do you feel?
Rico: I’m just still trying to process everything. It’s been a journey to get to here, I’ve been in the industry for fourteen years, I grinded it out in kitchens, working my way to where we’re at now, and to have the culmination of all these experiences and be appreciated for all the work we’ve done - it’s just surreal.
What does it mean for you and your team?
Rico: I’m so happy, this moment right here… we can finally start doing more things with our team, grow our team, be able to get them in better positions and open more doors for all of them. And that’s what I hope to do for every single one of them.
Was this an award that you were shooting for?
Rico: I had no expectations. I didn’t even have a speech, so I didn’t think I was going to win.
How do you describe your journey to this achievement?
Rico: It’s been that exactly… a journey. Just before Covid was the worst time ever to open a restaurant, and to see the way we did it, we managed to always stay in the green and also get out of debt, within a year. That was huge.
Were you surprised?
Rico: One hundred million per cent surprised and astonished. It’s a dream come true.
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