Taking Top Honors
At the James Beard Awards evening in Chicago, IL, the restaurant industry’s annual honors were bestowed upon the following CIA alumni, as reported by The New York Times:
- Michael Tusk ’89 of Quince and Cotogna in San Francisco, CA, for Outstanding Chef;
- Michael Cimarusti ’91 of Providence in Los Angeles, CA, for Outstanding Hospitality;
- Jacob Potashnick ’14 of Feld in Chicago, IL, for Best Chef: Great Lakes;
- Sarah Thompson ’10 of Casa Playa in Las Vegas, NV, for Best Chef: Southwest; and
- Evelyn Garcia ’09 and Henry Lu of JŪN in Houston, TX, for Best Chef: Texas.
In addition to its restaurant and chef awards, the James Beard Foundation announced the 2026 James Beard Media Awards, as reported by Eater:
- Hailee Catalano ’14 for By Heart: Recipes to Hold Near and Dear, in the General book category;
- Melissa King ’97 and JJ Goode for Cook Like a King: Recipes from My California Chinese Kitchen, in the Professional and Restaurant book category;
- Dora Ramírez ’06 for Comida Casera: More Than 100 Vegan Recipes, from Traditional to Modern Mexican Dishes, in the Vegetable-Focused Cooking book category;
- Francis Lam ’03, for “Rising Up: Hong Kong Looks Inward to Reinvent Itself” in Conde Nast Traveler, in the Dining and Travel Journalism category; and
- Elizabeth Mervosh ’10 for “Going Green” in Food & Wine in the Home Cooking category.
Michael Tusk ’89 was featured by Food & Wine for his 2026 James Beard Award, compiling four of his recipes to offer a glimpse of his “honest” approach and knack for transforming familiar dishes into unforgettable ones.
Dora Ramírez ’06 and her James Beard award in the Vegetable-Focused Cooking category for her cookbook made the San Antonio Express News.
Steve Ells ’90, Chipotle Mexican Grill founder was recognized by The Denver Post as one of the 150 most influential and notable people in Colorado’s history.
Pietro Collina ’07 made The Spirits Business’s list of the UK’s top spirit buyers. His bar, Viajante87, has earned multiple accolades since opening in 2023, including UK Top 50 Bars and The World’s 50 Best Bars recognition.
Deb Paquette ’78 was included in Style Blueprint’s list of the best eateries in Nashville, TN, for lunch for both of her restaurants: etc. and etch.
New Restaurants
Mario Carbone ’00 has plans to open a new restaurant in the space long occupied by Tribeca Grill, as reported by the New York Post. The new American tavern and steakhouse will join his portfolio of coveted dining destinations such as Carbone, Torrisi, ZZ’s Club, The Grill, Sadelle’s, and Dirty French.
Emily King ’01 and her husband’s second location for their popular Connecticut bagel brand was announced by The Daily Voice. Their breads were highlighted as free of chemicals, stabilizers and fillers.
Hari Nayak ’97, according to Bezinga, is opening a new restaurant in Woodinville, WA’s Harvest Yard with a fresh perspective to Indian cuisine centered around community and hospitality.
Matthew Zappoli’s ’98 Italian eatery, Trattoria Napoli, was previewed by WhatNow, noting his family recipes and New York-style Italian favorites, including handmade pasta, woodfired pizza, and fresh seafood.
Steffan Bailey ’20 is opening Kingston Nord, The Times Union reported, bringing Scandinavian food to Front Street in Kingston, NY.
Creativity and Innovation
David Nayfeld ’05 shared recipes from his cookbook Dad, What’s for Dinner? Lifesaving Recipes to Avoid Meltdowns, Have Fun in the Kitchen, and Keep Your Kids Well Fed on ABC’s Good Morning America.
Violet Witchel ’25 has created a TikTok food trend with staying power, as reported in The New York Times, with her dense bean salads that sell out at her pop-ups around the country.
Kevin Efaw ’91 was featured by The Daily Gazette for his work at Allied Brewing with its WWII-themed craft brewery, beers, ciders, and the orchard-based setting.
Andrew Gorski ’07 was highlighted by Cleveland Scene with a review of Edacious, a small but ambitious bistro in Avon Lake, OH, where he serves up inventive dishes, leaning on his CIA training and creativity.
Kamal Hoyte ’10, a St. Vincent‑born, US-based chef, was profiled by i-Witness News VG for partnering with Airbnb to create inclusive, globally inspired dining experiences for fans attending the FIFA World Cup 2026.
Tim Gearhart’s ’95 artisan chocolate business, Gearhart’s Fine Chocolates, was featured by the Specialty Food Association for its 25th anniversary packaging redesign.
John Leonardi ’10 was featured by Taking the Kids for his Colorado restaurant, Soupcon, noted for its fresh local ingredients delivered daily, unique and creative menus, and an atmosphere that is the perfect place to relax and enjoy a hand-crafted meal.
Andrew Tobin ’07 was also featured by Takingthekids.com, for his Lil’ Piece BBQ & Catering in Greenville, NY.
Jason Vieira ’05 was praised by The Charleston City Paper for his Southern creations in his new Annie Mae’s Bakeshop, which he opened with his wife and has quickly become a Charleston favorite.
Global Cuisines
Worathon “Tae” Udomchalotorn ’12, the chef behind Sakkwa, a Thai-rooted, French-influenced restaurant in Bangkok, was profiled by luxury lifestyle media platform Prestige.
Manu Chandra ’03 won Chef of the Year at the NDTV Awards and made the Economic Times, which shared his culinary career and accomplishments.
Law Jia-jun ’18, a CIA Singapore graduate, was recognized by Peak Magazine for his restaurant Province, discussing why he shifted from a farm-to-table, produce-driven concept to a direction more closely aligned with his Singaporean heritage.
Masters of Celebrations
Ricky Moore ’94 was one of four chefs representing the country in the National Archives Foundation’s “Taste of America” celebration in Washington, DC, commemorating the country’s 250th anniversary as reported by Southern Living.
Manu Chandra ’03, a Delhi-born chef who returned to India after graduating from CIA discussed how he created a menu for the Inaugural Dinner at the 75th Cannes Film Festival in 2022 with The Better India.
Gregory Gourdet ’00 and Maneet Chauhan ’00 were both included in Food & Wine’s coverage of the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, CO, a gathering of chefs, wine experts, hospitality leaders, and beverage professionals for three days in the Rocky Mountains.
Charlie Palmer ’97 was honored at the 2027 Naples Winter Wine Festival for his support of the festival’s charitable mission, raising funds for children’s services in Collier County, FL, as reported in Gulf Shore Business.
Ayaka Guido ’10, the executive chef of ABC Kitchen in Dumbo, was featured in Time Out for training for the New York City Marathon.
Promotions and Retirements
Marcus Seville ’03 was promoted to director of food and beverage at Sheraton San Diego Resort, where he oversees five dining concepts and more than 130,000 square feet of venue space, according to Hospitality Net.
Michael Laukert ’91 has joined the culinary team of Bottega Napa Valley as chef de cuisine, as reported by Wine Business, bringing more than 30 years of experience to the position.
Gregory Babcock ’86 has retired after almost 30 years as at culinary instructor at Erie 2-Chautauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES in East Aurora, NY, as reported in The Post-Journal.