We always enjoy celebrating the best in professional kitchens across the country, so let's pause at this halfway point on the calendar. James Beard nominations are posted. Michelin stars have been awarded. World-renowned chefs continue to inspire restaurant creativity.
Let's sample a little of each category.
Join us as we review the best of 2024 and see how many of your favorites made the list this year.
America's Top Chefs: The 11 Best of 2024
2024 James Beard Nominees
Nominations for the 2024 James Beard Awards are out, and the names on the list represent a wonderful variety of cooking styles. From cultural preservation to responsible sourcing, these four chefs have earned their place of honor as this year's nominees.
1. Ryan Fernandez
Chef Ryan Fernandez redefines fusion with his blend of classic Indian flavors and American barbecue. The results are a dedicated following and his position as a nominee for this year's James Beard Emerging Chef award.
Fernandez's very successful Southern Junction restaurant started in a Buffalo, New York incubator for specialty foodservice operations. It now enjoys a permanent spot in the city and in the hearts of locals who love barbecue.
2. Sarah Minnick
As a finalist in the Outstanding Chef category, Sarah Minnick stands out as owner of an unusual pizzeria. Her restaurant, Lovely's Fifty Fifty, specializes in gourmet pies using locally sourced ingredients.
Located in Portland, Minnick earns the devotion of area pizza lovers with her ability to transform 100% organic produce into some of the most delicious slices in Oregon.
3. Emmanuel Chavez
A diversity of heirloom ingredients elevate the dishes served at Tatemo in Houston, Texas. That's where you'll find Chef Emmanuel Chavez hard at work preserving the cultural traditions he's treasured since childhood.
The James Beard nominee draws inspiration from his parents who worked their way from back of house to operating their own restaurants. His specialties feature heirloom maize sourced from farmers located in Mexico.
4. Chris Viaud
Three celebrated locations in New Hampshire have vaulted Chef Chris Viaud high on the list of finalists for Outstanding Restaurateur. This is the second time he's received high honors in the James Beard Awards competition.
His blend of modern American dining concepts with his Haitian roots inspires a unique cooking style. Viaud's commitment to local sourcing resonates with dining room guests who appreciate both his style and his innovative menus.
Michelin Star Winners
You may not recognize their names yet, but these three Michelin Star winners are shining brightly across the current culinary landscape.
Their hard work and dedication have paid off with restaurant operations that deserve the highest accolades.
5. Thomas Keller
Chef Thomas Keller holds a place on our list as the only American chef with multiple Michelin Guide ratings. He managed it all by running outstanding restaurants from California to New York.
Keller's Napa Valley location, the French Laundry, is often considered among the best of its kind. Over the years, it's earned three coveted Michelin stars by offering classic French cuisine and unparalleled customer service.
6. Dominique Crenn
Yes, a taco joint can attain multiple Michelin stars if it reaches the heights of La Madrina. The restaurant, located in Las Vegas, specializes in plant-based tacos.
The unusual menu is a reflection of Chef Dominique Crenn's commitment to sustainable ingredients.
Her eco-friendly style in the kitchen is just one reason Crenn holds three Michelin stars. For more than five years, she's impressed dining room guests with meatless menus focused on premium produce and fresh seafood.
7. Charlie Mitchell
Chef Charlie Mitchell's Clover Hill restaurant quietly proves that size doesn't matter when it comes to earning Michelin stars. The casual dining room seats 30 guests who don't need white tablecloths to appreciate fine dining.
The restaurant's menu features fresh fish and shellfish served in an atmosphere that feels like home. The Brooklyn Heights location features tasting menus that evolve with the season's catch.
Mitchell was recently named Michelin's Best New Chef of the Year.
World-Class Celebrity Chefs
Time doesn't take a toll on these world-class chefs. It does define them as established professionals with a flair for the spotlight and unmatched talent in the kitchen.
These four celebrity chefs are sure to hold their place on everyone's list of favorites for years to come.
8. Wolfgang Puck
More than 40 years ago, Wolfgang Puck debuted his culinary style with the opening of Spago's. Today, his Los Angeles restaurant anchors one of America's most successful celebrity chef careers.
Chef Puck is a well-respected professional as well as a powerhouse brand, operating as both with style and grace.
He's another example of foodservice professionals who believe in responsibly sourcing ingredients, from proteins to produce. Puck is also a master at connecting with audiences and sharing his enthusiasm for all aspects of the foodservice industry.
9. Anne-Sophie Pic
While the profession is still male-dominated, female chefs are coming into their own. Anne-Spophie Pic is an original trailblazer and permanent member of multiple Top Chef lists.
That prestigious position is backed by her status as the holder of 10 Michelin stars.
Chef Pic is considered legendary in her native France, where she continues to build on her heritage of fine dining and creative menus. Her La Dame de Pic operations are world-famous with award-winning locations in Paris, London, Singapore and Dubai.
10. Emeril Lagasse
One of the first contemporary celebrity chefs, Emeril Lagasse continues to entertain TV audiences and wow dining room guests with New Orleans cuisine. Lagasse launched his culinary career working at the Commander's Palace.
A few years later, he came into his own with the opening of Emeril's in the city's Warehouse District. Since then, best-selling cookbooks and successful television programs have kicked up his well-deserved reputation.
Lagasse's philanthropic work adds special "bam" to his standing as one of the best chefs in America.
11. Gordon Ramsay
Gordon Ramsay could almost rule the culinary world with his restaurant empire.
From humble beginnings to a well-earned position on the Best List, Chef Ramsay has established himself with locations from Las Vegas to London and Bourdoux. He achieved his greatness with great food and a natural sense of how to transform that culinary talent into a successful business.
Behind his bluster resides a deeply caring professional who believes in giving back and paying it forward.
Sharing the Latest
It's our pleasure to share our list of the best chefs in America. Their talents make them all celebrities.
We're keeping an eye on the future too. Please join us next year when we review the men and women who elevate the restaurant business with their unsurpassed creativity.
Continue checking back with us for the latest insider news too.
You can depend on Hitchcock Farms for the very best of everything about America's great foodservice industry.
