The James Beard Foundation Takes Celebrity Chef Tour Across America

Fiona Chandra

The James Beard Foundation and its awards are one of the most prestigious accolades in the culinary world, and The James Beard House in New York City has long played host to many celebrity chefs from around the country. Now, the James Beard Foundation is taking this tradition around the United States with its Celebrity Chef Tour, where the foundation will host special dinners in various cities featuring celebrity chefs from other cities, including James Beard Award-winning chefs.

Each tour stop begins with a cocktail reception followed by a multi-course wine or cocktail paired dinner. In March the tour stopped in Seattle for a dinner hosted by Chef Tyler Hefford (Columbia Tower Club). The tour also visited Chicago, bringing along Chef Michael Mina. In April the foundation stops off at Larkspur in Vail, Colo. in association with Taste of Vail. In June, Martin Ray Winery hosted a dinner in Santa Rosa, Calif. featuring Chef Scott Roberts from The Salt Lick BBQ in Driftwood, Texas.

The Celebrity Chef Tour will visit Lambert Bridge Winery in Healdsburg, Calif. on Aug. 5, followed by a dinner on Sept. 16 in Park City, featuring L.A.’s own chef Neal Fraser (Redbird) and pastry chef Dahlia Narvaez (Mozza Group). On Sept. 21 a dinner will be held in Charleston, S.C., and on Sept. 25 the tour visits Wright-Locke Farm in Winchester, Mass., featuring Boston chefs Carl Dooley (The Table at Season to TastE), Karen Akunowicz (Myers + Chang), and more. The tour then moves to Columbus, Ohio on Sept. 28 and kicks off the October series on Oct. 7 in Dayton, Ore.

The Music City, Nashville, hosts a dinner on Oct. 21 with Chef Andrew Brochu from Chicago’s Roister and James Beard award-winning pastry chef Mindy Segal from Chicago’s Mindy’s Hot Chocolate, along with James Beard Award winner Jeff Michaud from Osteria and another award winner Greg Vernick from Vernick Food & Drink, both from Philadelphia.

From there the tour will visit Savannah, Ga. and then The Fess Parker Resort in Santa Barbara, Calif. The Santa Barbara dinner will feature Chef Bruce Kalman (Union, Pasadena) and Top Chef Winner Kristen Kish, as well as James Beard Award winner Nancy Silverton (Mozza Group)

Get a taste of island life with a dinner on Sanibel Island in Florida on Nov. 30 before the tour heads to Carmel Valley Ranch in Carmel, Calif. on Dec. 2 with James Beard Award winners Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo (Animal, Los Angeles). The year’s Celebrity Chef Tour will conclude on Dec. 9 with a dinner at Four Seasons Resort at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Fla.

James Beard Celebrity Chef Tour will run March 10 through Dec. 9. Find more information here.