2020 has not been a good year for the restaurant business. With many closing down for extended periods or shuttering for good due to the pandemic, it doesn’t make sense to have an awards ceremony.
That’s why the James Beard Foundation nixed plans to announce the remaining 2020 winners during its virtual award ceremony next month.
If you’ve never heard of the James Beard Awards, it’s essentially the Oscars of the foodie world in the United States.
The Grey’s Mashama Bailey won a Beard Award in 2018.
“The uncertainty of this time for our industry is already a hard reality and considering anyone to have won or lost within the current tumultuous hospitality ecosystem does not in fact feel like the right thing to do,” said Clare Reichenbach, James Beard Foundation CEO.
“As we strive to provide an Awards program with the highest ethical standards, one that is fair, equitable, and reflective of the industry which we serve, we know that the right move is to step back and take stock of the nominees’ and honorees’ achievements.”
The JBF will also not have a traditional awards ceremony next year because all those decisions are based on a restaurant or chef’s work the previous year.
According to the JBF website, next year’s ceremony “will be a celebration of the independent restaurant community who have shown leadership during this crisis and honoring those who have made a significant impact on the industry and in their communities”.
“We look forward to bringing the Awards back when the industry is once again ready for them,” said Reichenbach.
You can read more about the planned changes here.
