Meet the James Beard Achievement Honorees
And reserve your place now at Local Food Forum's first webinar on April 15
James Beard Awards Achievement Honorees
Wednesday’s Local Food Forum highlighted the four Chicago finalists for the 2024 James Beard Foundation Awards, which will be presented on Monday, June 10 during the organization’s annual awards ceremony at Chicago’s Lyric Opera House.
We’ll be rooting for Lula Cafe in Logan Square (a finalist for Outstanding Hospitality); Sujan Sarkar of Indienne in River North and Jenner Tomaska of Esmé inLincoln Park (finalists for Best Chef Great Lakes; and Anna Posey of Elske, located on West Loop’s Restaurant Row, is up for Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker.
We’d be remiss, though, if we did not shout out the amazing advocates and achievers who will be honored by the Foundation’s Leadership, Lifetime Achievement, and Humanitarian Awards. Rather than reinvent the wheel, here are the details from the James Beard Foundation’s press release.
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Sustainability
Leaders who are advancing environmental sustainability in support of a better supply chain for restaurants. Their efforts may focus on healthy soil, clean oceans, sustainable fisheries, reducing food waste, or regenerative agriculture.
Mai Nguyen, Farmer, Farmer Mai
Mai Nguyen is a first-generation Vietnamese-American farmer who began their career as a research assistant studying the effects of carbon on the atmosphere and soil. Wanting to make more of an impact, they focused their efforts on disaster relief and water sanitation projects for refugee camps in Southeast Asia, which opened their eyes to the broader implications of food security and sustainability.
The child of Vietnamese refugees, Nguyen returned to their roots in California to support the diaspora community and advocate for equitable ecological food systems through environmentally beneficial farming practices. Nguyen specializes in site-appropriate and soil-enriching approaches to growing organic heirloom grains and Southeast Asian crops in Upper Lake, California.
Through their leadership as co-director of Minnow, which works to secure land tenure for California’s farmers of color and Indigenous communities, Nguyen helps facilitate democratic organization for land justice. In 2017, in response to systemic discrimination faced by farmers of color, Nguyen helped pass the Farmer Equity Act in California, which acknowledges socially disadvantaged producers within the agricultural system and has created policies to advance equity.
Policy Advocacy
Policymakers or advocates who are advancing a Farm Bill and/or federal legislation or regulations that prioritize climate change mitigation, racial and gender equity, or industry practices that foster a more sustainable and equitable restaurant industry.
Niaz Dorry, Coordinating Director, North American Marine Alliance (NAMA)
Niaz Dorry has played a pivotal role in steering federal legislation towards recognizing and supporting small-scale, traditional and Indigenous fishing communities through her leadership in the North American Marine Alliance (NAMA) and collaboration with the National Family Farm Coalition.
By advocating for policies that prioritize ecological sustainability and equity, she has helped to bridge the gap between land and sea food systems, emphasizing the importance of including seafood in comprehensive food system discussions. Her efforts to raise awareness about the critical role of small-scale, values-based fisheries in mitigating climate change and advancing gender and racial equity have inspired more sustainable practices within the restaurant industry. Dorry has been recognized as a "Hero for the Planet" by Time magazine.
Industry Culture and Practices
Leaders who have made a significant impact and are acknowledged and recognized as setting industry standards, with a commitment to transforming the industry into one that is sustainable and equitable. These leaders have put in place systems and policies that prioritize the physical and mental health of employees and themselves and have proven to make for a sound financial model for staff and owners alike that foster longevity in the restaurant industry. They are modeling how to make independent restaurants more equitable both within and beyond one’s own businesses.
Muhammad Abdul-Hadi, Founder/Owner, Down North Pizza and Down North Foundation
Muhammad Abdul-Hadi is the founder of Down North Pizza, a mission-driven restaurant that exclusively hires previously incarcerated employees. As an entrepreneur in property management, retail, and real estate development, Abdul-Hadi focuses on creating business models that offer both employment and housing to formerly incarcerated individuals.
In 2015, Abdul-Hadi bought property in the Strawberry Mansion neighborhood — a predominantly Black and historically underserved area of Philadelphia marked by high recidivism rates. Abdul-Hadi’s aim was to use the property to offer subsidized housing to individuals negatively impacted by the criminal justice system but has expanded the building’s use with the opening of Down North Pizza.
Abdul-Hadi's philosophy of meeting people where they are — recognizing and valuing their experiences and skills often overlooked in traditional hiring practices — has not only contributed to the success of Down North Pizza but has also set a precedent for future enterprises that seek to combine profit with purpose.
Food Security and Access
Leaders who have advanced nutrition security, an issue that has directly impacted many independent chefs and restaurants, most notably through SNAP and SNAP expansion, community engagement, and beyond.
Helga Garcia-Garza, Executive Director, Agri-Cultura Network:
Helga Garcia-Garza is the executive director of Agri-Cultura Network — a farmer-owned cooperative providing access to local and sustainably grown produce — and of their community supported agricultural program, La Cosecha CSA.
For over 50 years, Garcia-Garza has been a driving force for food justice and a dedicated community organizer, working on both sides of the U.S./Mexico border. The daughter of an activist and a member of a marginalized Native Indigenous community, Garcia-Garza’s efforts are driven by her deep commitment to building an equitable and sustainable food system, empowering communities through education, and making healthy food accessible to low-income households.
After spending 20 years as an organic farmer, Garcia-Garza now advocates for farmers’ rights on environmental contamination issues. Her work has enabled hundreds of families to access fresh, local produce using SNAP funds. Beyond SNAP expansion, her efforts in community engagement and education around sustainable agriculture practices have empowered both urban and rural farmers, contributing to a more resilient and nutrition-secure food system. Garcia-Garza is based in Albuquerque, New Mexico and is currently focused on building a multi-million dollar solar-powered “Eco-Wellness" clinic that aims to bridge the gap between sustainable agricultural practices and nutritional wellbeing.
Emerging Leadership
The Leadership Committee may select an additional honoree to highlight a person or collective who is at the beginning of their career but already doing significant work.
Christa Barfield, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, FarmerJawn
Christa Barfield is the founder and chief executive officer of FarmerJawn — a 128-acre working farm providing access to regenerative organic food production through a community supported agriculture (CSA) program, storefronts, and educational programs — and Viva Leaf Tea Co., a farm-to-cup tea brand.
Barfield’s initiatives are designed not just to provide organic foods in areas of food apartheid, but also to educate on the importance of sustainable agriculture and healthy eating through on-farm and in-school programming. Her latest venture, CornerJawn, is a redefined corner store experience that makes fresh produce more accessible to underserved communities.
With CornerJawn, Barfield is nurturing a movement towards sustainable living and conscious eating for all. Barfield’s work is making a significant impact on Philadelphia’s food system and offering a model for urban food justice and entrepreneurship. Barfield is a Generation Change fellow, Philadelphia's Community Wellness Leader, and is recognized as a "Food is Medicine" and nutrition security champion by the USDA.
Leadership Awards categories may vary annually. More information on the voting process for the Leadership Awards can be viewed here.
Lifetime Achievement Award
The Lifetime Achievement Award honors an individual whose life's work has profoundly and enduringly influenced how America cooks, eats, and perceives food.
The 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award honoree is the inimitable writer, editor, novelist, and television personality Ruth Reichl.
In 1971, at the age of 23, Reichl wrote her first cookbook, MMMMM: A Feastiary. This set her on a path to prominence as a “make or break” food critic for esteemed publications like the Los Angeles Times and the New York Times.
In 1999, she took over as editor-in-chief of Gourmet magazine, commissioning pieces from legendary writers like David Foster Wallace. Reichl's captivating memoirs offer an intimate glimpse into five decades of her culinary adventures. Her first memoir, Tender at the Bone, helped readers to understand “that food could be a way of making sense of the world.” Reichl's appearances as a judge on Bravo TV's Top Chef and Top Chef Masters endeared her to a new generation of food enthusiasts, reinforcing her reputation as a culinary and food media icon. Reichl's impact on the food industry has been recognized with seven James Beard Awards and the Who’s Who of Food & Beverage in America award, cementing her legacy in the food world as a leading voice and trailblazer for women.
“I'm so thrilled by this honor,” said Reichl. “Looking back, I can't help thinking how much the world has changed in my lifetime. When I started writing about food, Americans paid so little attention to what and how we eat that the very notion of honoring someone for a career like mine would have seemed absurd.”
More information on the voting process for the Lifetime Achievement Award can be viewed here.
Humanitarian of the Year Award
The Humanitarian of the Year Award honors an individual or organization within the food industry who has demonstrated exceptional selflessness and unwavering dedication to improving the lives of others and society as a whole.
The 2024 Humanitarian of the Year Award honoree is The LEE Initiative, an organization that promotes diversity, equity, and empowerment for employees within the restaurant industry.
Founded in 2017 by chef Edward Lee and Lindsey Ofcacek, The LEE Initiative—an acronym for Let’s Empower Employment—is responsible for creating programs that advance women, amplify Black voices, and explore sustainable policies for restaurants. Known for its relief work, The LEE Initiative has raised over $5 million in direct aid and investments for small farms, Black-owned food businesses, COVID-19 support, and more. In 2021, Ofcacek and Chef Lee were honored with the Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Award for their work through The LEE Initiative.
“The Lee Initiative is honored to receive the JBF Humanitarian [of the Year] Award and we accept it on behalf of every single restaurant worker who has gone above and beyond to ensure that the best of our restaurant culture stays alive and relevant for the next generation,” said Ofcacek. “Our work is rooted in community, collaboration, and a common goal to create a kinder more equitable future for the hospitality industry. We are honored to work alongside you,” added Lee.
The Humanitarian of the Year and Lifetime Achievement Honorees will be recognized at the Restaurant and Chef Awards ceremony on Monday, June 10 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. More information on the voting process for Lifetime Achievement and Humanitarian of the Year Awards can be viewed here.
Local Food Forum’s brand new webinar series launches on Monday, April 15 with a lively and informative conversation on the important topic of regenerative agriculture. Registration for this debut episode is FREE.
I am grateful to co-host Chef Sarah Stegner for developing the project with me and to the great organizational and business supporters reflected in the pretty new graphic above.
Register now… Zoom capacity is limited and it will make the webinar team very happy to see those virtual seats filling up. Not sure about your schedule on the 15th? Sign up anyway… the webinar recording will be shared with all registrants.
Click the first button to go right to the ticket page, and the second to read all the details about the event and the series.
And the weather forecast for Saturday is still…
OK, chilly, but we’re all Chicago Tough, amirite? Grab some outerwear, and see you at Green City.