2015 James Beard Foundation Restaurant And Chef Award Winners

The 2015 James Beard Foundation Restaurant and Chef Award winners

One thousand food fans boarded the M/S New Yorker for a 13-chef dinner cruise to celebrate the first-ever James Beard Awards on May 6, 1991. This Monday night, nearly 25 years later, a crowd nearly quadruple that size packed Chicago's Lyric Opera House to pay homage to the chefs, mixologists, sommeliers, hospitality experts and restaurateurs who have been recognized by their peers for their contribution to the craft.

Though the award carries no monetary value, the prestige associated with a win—or even a nomination—can significantly boost a restaurant's profile and transform it into a national dining destination.

Here are the winners of the 2015 James Beard Foundation Restaurant and Chef Awards—with some recipes and tips we've scored from them along their journeys to greatness:

Outstanding Restaurant

Blue Hill at Stone Barns—Pocantico Hills, NY

Make use of scraps with Dan Barber's root vegetable peel chips.

Best New Restaurant

Bâtard—NYC

Outstanding Baker

Jim Lahey—Sullivan Street Bakery, NYC

There's no need to knead with Lahey's pizza dough recipe.

Outstanding Bar Program

The Violet Hour—Chicago

Outstanding Chef

Michael Anthony—Gramercy Tavern, NYC

Get the dirt on Anthony's custom garlic.

Outstanding Pastry Chef

Christina Tosi—Momofuku, NYC

Crunch through Tosi's addictive Crackle.

Outstanding Restaurateur

Donnie Madia—One Off Hospitality Group (Blackbird, Avec, The Publican, and others), Chicago

Outstanding Service

The Barn at Blackberry Farm—Walland, TN

Get wine advice from the Farm's wine director, Andy Chabot.

Outstanding Wine Program

A16—San Francisco

Outstanding Wine, Beer, or Spirits Professional

Rajat Parr—Mina Group, San Francisco

Rising Star Chef of the Year

Jessica Largey—Manresa, Los Gatos, CA

Best Chef: Great Lakes

Jonathon Sawyer—Greenhouse Tavern, Cleveland

Make Sawyer's oozy, cheesy dumplings.

Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic

Spike Gjerde—Woodberry Kitchen, Baltimore

Best Chef: Midwest

Gerard Craft—Niche, Clayton, MO

Best Chef: New York City

Mark Ladner—Del Posto

Go gluten free (or not) with Ladner's vibrant fusilli recipe.

Best Chef: Northeast

Barry Maiden—Hungry Mother, Cambridge, MA

Best Chef: Northwest

Blaine Wetzel—The Willows Inn on Lummi Island, Lummi Island, WA

Best Chef: South

Alon Shaya—Domenica, New Orleans

Fry a batch of Shaya's pillowy, sugar-dusted doughnuts.

Best Chef: Southeast

Jason Stanhope—FIG, Charleston, SC

Best Chef: Southwest

Aaron Franklin—Franklin Barbecue, Austin, TX

Bookmark Franklin's barbecue bible.

Best Chef: West

Stuart Brioza and Nicole Krasinski—State Bird Provisions, San Francisco