The nominees for the James Beard Award
The 50 Best Restaurants in Bangkok (and other cities): The 2019 CNN Travel World Factors ‘Unlocking the World’
When it comes to street food, Bangkok has been considered to be a world capital. It’s fine dining scene is becoming more and more attractive.
In comparison to other cities, restaurants in Singapore and Bangkok have the most wins, with nine spots and seven trophies, respectively.
Winning restaurant Le Du, led by owner and Thai chef Thitid “Ton” Tassanakajohn, is a modern Thai-inspired eatery that offers a four- or six-course tasting menu focused on seasonal Thai ingredients. Number four on last year’s list, it rose three spots to take the 2023 crown.
50 best is something very special to me because of all of the people who are in this room. That is the most important thing. I’m so lucky to be included in this family with you all, with all my chef friends, my brothers and sisters.”
Tokyo restaurant Sezanne, famed for its regionally inspired French cuisine, came in second on the 2023 list. Last year’s first place winner, fellow Tokyo eatery Den, fell to the number four spot this year.
With the devastating effects of the pandemic still lingering in the global restaurant industry, the 90-minute awards ceremony, held in Singapore’s Resorts World Sentosa, offered those in attendance a chance to celebrate their peers’ successes.
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The 2023 James Beard Foundation Awards: Galaxies in Dallas, La Casita Bakeshop in Richardson and Kuluntu Bakery
“The James Beard Awards celebrate outstanding achievement and exceptional culinary talent, as well as all those doing incredible work on behalf of our communities and wider food system. The CEO of the James Beard Foundation said nominees, winners and honorees were inspiring examples of that.
The new Award for Outstanding Bakery is one of the new categories where finalist were named. Two bakeries in Texas, La Casita Bakeshop in Richardson and Kuluntu Bakery in Dallas are semifinalists in that category.
Last year’s awards marked the first bestowed under new policies and procedures and a new code of ethics sparked by allegations of chefs’ bad behavior and a lack of diversity.
The awards were abruptly stopped in 2020 and continued on hold in 2021 due to the industry’s flu outbreak and foundation work on a new framework.
Beard was named “Dean of American Cookery” by The New York Times after his program “I Love to Eat” was the first food program on network television.
See the James Beard Foundation website for the full list of 2023 finalists, including Outstanding Restaurateur, Outstanding Hospitality, Outstanding Bar and Outstanding Wine and Beverages.
