Philadelphia Scores Four Huge Wins at the 2023 James Beard Awards

Another year, another dominating performance from Philly chefs, bars and restaurants at the James Beard Awards. (Did you expect anything less?)

The city represented in a huge way at the 2023 showcase of the nation’s top chefs and restaurants, winning four major awards.

In the Philly-heavy Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic category (yeah, we’re just ke good), Chutatip “Nok” Suntaranon of Kalaya took home the crown, beating out a stellar field that also included Jesse Ito of Royal Sushi & Izakaya in Queen Village and Dionicio Jiménez of Kensington’s Cantina La Martina.

Chutatip “Nok” Suntaranon of Kalaya   — Foto pa D. Knoll pou Visit Philadelphia

It’s been one heck of a year for chef Nok and Kalaya. The lauded Thai kitchen moved into a beautiful new space in Fishtown in 2022, quadrupling its previous footprint in the Italian Market.

In another major win, High Street Hospitality’s Ellen Yin (of Philly classics like Fork, a.kitchen + bar and High Street) won the national award for Outstanding Restaurateur (for which she was also nominated in 2018, 2019 and 2022).

Fouchèt   — Photo by A. Ricketts for Visit Philadelphia

And in perhaps the biggest win of the night Friday Saturday Sunday — Rittenhouse Square’s much-raved-about fixed-menu spot — nabbed the award for Outstanding Restaurant in its first-ever nomination. How’s that for a debut?

Friday Saturday Sunday   — Photo courtesy Friday Saturday Sunday

On the drinks side of things, Philly bartender Toby Maloney scored a 2023 James Beard Award win for his cocktail book, The Bartender’s Manifesto: How to Think, Drink, and Create Cocktails Like a Pro. Coauthored by Maloney — a mixologist at Philly speakeasy Hop Sing Laundromat — and journalist Emma Janzen, the book is a blueprint for aspiring bartenders and at-home enthusiasts alike.

Join us in sending huge congratulations to these Philly chefs and establishments for showing the world what we already know: Philly can’t be beat for great eats (and drinks!).

Hungry for more? Check out our guide to Philadelphia’s James Beard Foundation-honored restaurants epi Philly’s Best According to The New York Times, Vwayaj + Lojman & More for even more critically acclaimed restaurants in Philadelphia and the Countryside.