Korean American Chefs Shine at the 2025 James Beard Awards
Korean American chefs shine at the 2025 James Beard Awards, highlighting their growing influence on the U.S. culinary scene. These accolades celebrate both innovation and excellence, proving that Korean cuisine is making a significant mark across the country.
🏆 Outstanding Chef: Jung-sik Yim
Chef Jung-sik Yim of Jungsik in New York was honored with the Outstanding Chef award. Jungsik, originally a fine-dining Korean restaurant in Seoul, expanded to New York in 2012. Last year, it became the first Korean restaurant in New York to earn three Michelin stars. Yim is only the second Korean chef to receive the Outstanding Chef award, following David Chang, who shared the title in 2013.
🥐 Outstanding Bakery: JinJu Pâtisserie
In the Outstanding Bakery category, the award went to JinJu Pâtisserie in Portland, Oregon, led by chefs Gyu-rim Lee and Jin Caldwell. Known for their mastery of chocolate and pastries in Las Vegas, the duo opened JinJu in 2019. Their back-to-back recognition highlights the continued excellence of Korean American chefs in the pastry arts.
🍽️ Outstanding Hospitality: Atomix
Atomix, a fine-dining Korean restaurant in New York City run by Junghyun and Ellia Park, received the Outstanding Hospitality award. Recognized for its refined service and elegant presentation of Korean cuisine, Atomix also holds two Michelin stars, further solidifying the impact of Korean chefs in America’s fine-dining landscape.
🌟 Best Chef: Northeast: Sky Han-eul Kim
Sky Han-eul Kim, chef of Gift Horse in Providence, Rhode Island, was named Best Chef: Northeast. Originally from Asan, South Korea, Kim was previously nominated for Best Emerging Chef in 2024. Her inventive approach to Korean cuisine has won widespread praise, further showing how Korean American chefs shine at the 2025 James Beard Awards.
These achievements not only celebrate the individual talents of these chefs but also underscore the rising prominence of Korean cuisine in the U.S. dining scene. For more information on the award-winning chefs and their restaurants, visit the official James Beard Foundation website.
Read the full article on Korea Daily
Original article written by Wonhee Cho for Korea Daily. Originally published June 18, 2025. All rights belong to Korea Daily and the original author.
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