Chicago’s Frontera Grill won Outstanding Restaurant of the Year and Michel Richard of Michel Richard Citronelle in Washington, D.C. was named Outstanding Chef at the 2007 James Beard Foundation Awards Ceremony. Hosted by CBS Early Show anchor Hannah Storm, the Beard Awards were held May 7 at Avery Fisher Hall in New York’s Lincoln Center. More than 60 awards were presented by the country’s pre-eminent nonprofit culinary organization, in its 20th anniversary celebration, and more than 1,600 industry leaders attended the ceremony. Other top awards went to: New York’s L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon, named Best New Restaurant; Thomas Keller (The French Laundry, Yountville, Ca.) received the award for Outstanding Restaurateur; and David Chang (Momofuku Noodle Bar, New York) received the Rising Star Chef of the Year award. Celebrity and culinary superstar attendees included Stephanie March, Ted Allen, Katie Lee Joel, Martha Stewart, Wolfgang Puck, Bobby Flay, Thomas Keller, Jose Andres, Tom Colicchio, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Padma Lakshmi, and Marcus Samuelsson. The Foundation’s Media Awards took place at a separate event at the Hudson Theatre at Millennium Broadway Hotel on May 6. All Award winners received a bronze medallion etched with the image of the late James Beard, the esteemed chef, cookbook author, and food journalist. There are no cash awards. Established in 1990, the James Beard Foundation Awards recognizes outstanding achievement within the fine food and beverage industry in North America. For full awards results, please visit http://www.jamesbeard.org.

Beard Award highlights are:

AMERICA’S CLASSICS: Primanti Brothers, Demetrios Patrinos, Pittsburgh, Pa.; The Pickwick, Christopher Wisocki, Duluth, Minn.; Doe’s Eat Place, The Signa Family, Greenville, Miss.; Aunt Carrie’s, Elsie Foy, Narragansett, R.I.; I

Brookville Hotel, Mark and Connie Martin, Abilene, Kan.; Weaver D’s, Dexter Weaver, Athens, Ga.

BEST CHEF, GREAT LAKES: Grant Achatz, Alinea, Chicago

BEST CHEF, MID-ATLANTIC: R.J. Cooper, III, Vidalia, Washington, DC

BEST CHEF, MIDWEST: Celina Tio, The American Restaurant, Kansas City, Mo.

BEST CHEF, NEW YORK CITY: David Waltuck, Chanterelle, New York, NY

BEST CHEF, NORTHEAST: Frank McClelland, L’Espalier, Boston

BEST CHEF, NORTHWEST: John Sundstrom, Lark, Seattle

BEST CHEF, PACIFIC: Traci Des Jardins, Jardinière, San Francisco

BEST CHEF, SOUTH: Donald Link, Herbsaint, New Orleans

BEST CHEF, SOUTHEAST: Scott Peacock, Watershed, Decatur, Ga.

BEST CHEF, SOUTHWEST: Nobuo Fukuda, Sea Saw, Scottsdale, Ariz.

BEST NEW RESTAURANT: L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon, Chef-Owner: Joël Robuchon, New York, NY

OUTSTANDING CHEF: Michel Richard, Michel Richard Citronelle, Washington, DC

OUTSTANDING PASTRY CHEF: Michael Laskonis, Le Bernardin, New York, NY

OUTSTANDING RESTAURANT: Frontera Grill, chef-owner: Rick and Deann Bayless, Chicago

OUTSTANDING RESTAURATEUR: Thomas Keller, The French Laundry, Yountville, Calif.

OUTSTANDING SERVICE: Rick Tramonto, Gale Gand, and Richard Melman, Tru, Chicago

OUTSTANDING WINE AND SPIRITS PROFESSIONAL: Paul Draper, Ridge Vineyards, Cupertino, Calif.

OUTSTANDING WINE SERVICE: Mark Slater, Michel Richard Citronelle, Washington, DC

RISING STAR CHEF OF THE YEAR: David Chang, Momofuku Noodle Bar, New York, NY

In other area Beard award winners, the San Francisco Chronicle’s Food and Wine sections were named Best Newspaper Section for the second straight year. Chronicle staff writer Janet Fletcher’s story on how to cook duck won in the category of Best Feature Story with Recipes. And winner for Best Local Television Food Show went to Check, Please! Bay Area, with host Leslie Sbrocco at KQED Public Television in San Francisco, with producer Tina Salter.

Coi, others on Conde Nast Hot List
Conde Nast Traveler magazine just published its Hot List of the world’s best restaurants. Here are the hottest of the hot in the U.S.:
Brix, Flagstaff, Ariz.; Cut, Beverly Hills; Hatfield’s, Los Angeles; Katsuya, Los Angeles; Social Hollywood, Los Angeles; West, Los Angeles; Coi, San Francisco; NOPA, San Francisco; Perbacco, San Francisco; Salt House, San Francisco; Ad Hoc, Yountville, Ca.; Dressing Room, Westport, Conn.; Michy’s, Miami; David Bouley Evolution, Miami Beach; Quattro Gastronomia Italiana, Miami Beach; Trois, Atlanta; David Burke’s Primehouse, Chicago; De La Costa, Chicago; Riche, New Orleans; Sorellina, Boston; Guy Savoy, Las Vegas; Nove Italiano, Las Vegas; Rao’s, Las Vegas; A Voce, New York City; Boqueria, New York City; Gordon Ramsay at The London, New York City; L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon, New York City; Little Owl, New York City; Momofuku Ssäm, New York City; Varietal, New York City; Waverly Inn, New York City; New York City; Herons, Cary, N.C.; Piedmont, Durham, N.C.; XIX, Philadelphia; Bess Bistro on Pecan, Austin; Craft, Dallas; Blue Duck Tavern, Washington, D.C.

IN THE NEWS: USA Today’s May 4 story on the ethical eating movement — which is driven by customers who seek out food that is produced locally, organically and in a manner that has minimal effect on animals and the environment — includes mention of these restaurants: Red Avocado, Iowa City, Iowa; T’afia, Houston; Sage’s Cafe, Salt Lake City; Early Girl Eatery, Asheville, N.C.; Chez Panisse, Berkeley, Calif.; and Restaurant Nora, Washington, D.C. …
The Chronicle’s Michael Bauer awards two and a half stars to the Filipino restaurant Bistro
Luneta, 615-D Third Ave. (near South El Dorado) in San Mateo. The paper reports the openings of: Split Pea Seduction, 138 Sixth St. (at Minna) in San Francisco; Gator’s Neo-Soul Cafe, 129 South B St. (near Second Avenue), San Mateo; Bar Bambino, 2931 16th St. (between Mission and South Van Ness), San Francisco; and Riva Cucina, 800 Heinz Ave. (at Seventh Street), Berkeley … San Francisco Weekly’s Meredith Brody reviews Maverick,
3316 17th (at Mission) in San Francisco, and lists these new restaurants in the area — Avenue G: 1570 Stockton St. (at Union), North Beach. California fusion; California Pizza Kitchen: 53 Third St. (between Market and Mission), cpk.com. Pizza, salads; Dim Sum Bar: 620 O’Farrell (at Leavenworth), Tenderloin. Dim sum and healthy Chinese fast food; Hime: 2353 Lombard St. (between Pierce and Scott) . Marina. Sushi, Japanese; JoVino: 2184 Union St. (between Fillmore and Webster), 563-1853. Marina. Coffee and wine; Mercury Appetizer Bar: 1434 Lombard St. (at Van Ness). Marina. Asian-influenced plates, cocktails; Mission Beach Cafe: 198 Guerrero (at 14th St.), 861-0198. Mission. Coffee, tea, and sweets; North Beach Lobster Shack: 532 Green (between Bannam and Jasper), North Beach. Lobster; Nua Restaurant and Wine Bar: 550 Green St. North Beach. Seasonal Mediterranean; Woody Zips: 1609 Powell (at Green St.). North Beach. Sports bar. … San Francisco Bay Guardian critic Paul Reidinger reviews the new Piccino Cafe, 801 22nd St. in SF., while Cheap Eats looks at Casa Mexicana, 3917 24th St. in SF … East Bay Express critic John Birdsall reviews Noodle Theory, 6099 Claremont Ave. (at College Ave.) in Oakland. … New York blogger The Amateur Gourmet visits San Francisco and lists his favorite stops. … 7X7 magazine spotlights Mission Beach Cafe (198 Guerrero St. in SF), Genki Ramen (3944 Geary Blvd. in SF) and North Beach Lobster Shack (532 Green St.)

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