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Two big Philly wins are coming home from Chicago after last night’s James Beard Awards, AKA America’s culinary Oscars. Kalaya won outstanding restaurant and Chef Jesse Ito won the best chef award from the Mid-Atlantic region.
Kalaya wins Outstanding Restaurant
Kalaya from Chef Chutatip “Nok” Suntaranon received the outstanding restaurant award for its “consistent excellence.” The award is the highest honor a restaurant can win at the Beard’s.
Kalaya, which began in South Philly in 2019 and moved to Fishtown in 2022, has become a standout in the city for its artistic dumplings, flavorful broths, noodles and bold southern Thai flavors. Suntaranon opened the restaurant as part of a career switch at the age of 50.
This is the chef’s second James Beard award, as she won the best chef award from the Mid-Atlantic region in 2023.
While Philadelphians have long known that something special is happening in Suntaranon’s restaurant, lately the rest of the world is also taking note — with a Michelin selected recognition and a spot on The New York Times’ 50 best restaurants in North America.
In her acceptance speech, Suntaranon thanked the city of Philadelphia, her loved colleagues and loved ones, giving a special shout out to her mother.
“This award is for her, for us,” she said, per CBS News. “That we celebrate the food of our country, our hometown. The food that is unadulterated represents our food the way it should be. It’s never too spicy, it’s flavorful.”
Jesse Ito wins Best Chef, Mid-Atlantic
The ninth time’s the charm! Jesse Ito, chef of Royal Sushi & Izakaya, finally has a James Beard award after a string of nominations over the last decade.
In addition to its main dining room, Royal Sushi & Izakaya has one of the most exclusive and well-regarded sushi counters in the city, offering a truly intimate omakase experience. Michelin gave the spot a place for its Bib Gourmand list, and Ito also owns the restaurant Dancerobot in Rittenhouse.
“If your main passion is awards or just becoming famous, then people see through that,” he told Billy Penn ahead of the Beard’s last year. “It’s not sustainable long term. I love what I do, and I do what I do because I just want to keep getting better. If it fits into Michelin or James Beard or whatever standards, then that’s great. But you know, I do what I do because this is what I love.”
Still, the chef was excited and humbled by the recognition last night.
“This is for the city of Philly — one of the best food cities in the country,” he said in his acceptance speech, per CBS News. “So honored to be a part of the community and to bring this home.”
“We went through so much,” he added, choking up. “Restaurants are glamorous, and it seems great, but we went through so much hardship. I’ll never forget the struggle just to get here.”
