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Minnesota’s Christina Nguyen won “Best Chef: Midwest” in the 2024 James Beard awards on Monday evening in Chicago.
Nguyen won specifically for her northeast Minneapolis restaurant Hai Hai, which puts an unforgettable twist on Southeast Asian cuisine. She also runs the Venezuelan street food hot spot Hola Arepa in south Minneapolis.
More than 100 restaurants were finalists across 22 categories for the culinary world’s equivalent of the Oscars with diverse range of cuisine and chef experience, a recent shift following turbulent, pandemic-era years for the James Beard Foundation. Just being a finalist can bring wide recognition and boost business. The most anticipated categories included awards for outstanding restaurateur, chef and restaurant.
Michael Rafidi, whose Washington, D.C., restaurant Albi was awarded a coveted Michelin Star in 2022, won outstanding chef among five finalists. Albi, which is Arabic for “my heart,” pays homage to Rafidi’s Palestinian roots by using Old World food preparation techniques. Everything is cooked over charcoal, including grape leaves stuffed with lamb and sfeeha, a meat pie.
“This is for Palestine and all the Palestinian people out there,” Rafidi told The Associated Press after winning the award. Rafidi, who wore a traditional black and white checkered keffiyeh, said he kept thinking of his Palestinian grandfather, who was also a chef, and how he paved the way for him.
Christina Nguyen cooks water fern cakes at Hai Hai WCCO Restaurants apply for the awards. Judges, who mostly remain anonymous, try the cuisine before voting. Nominees are reviewed for the food as well as for a behavioral code of ethics, including how employees are treated. On Monday, winners announced at the Lyric Opera of Chicago venue were given engraved medallions.

The award for best new restaurant went to Dakar NOLA, a Senegalese restaurant in New Orleans.
“I always knew that West Africa has something to say,” said chef Serigne Mbaye. “That kept me going.”
The James Beard Foundation has bestowed awards since 1991, except in 2020 and 2021 when the organization scrapped them as the restaurant industry was reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic. The foundation was also facing criticism over a lack of racial diversity and allegations about some nominees’ behavior. Foundation officials vowed to improve ethical standards and be more “reflective of the industry.”
An upscale Thai restaurant that uses Pacific Northwest ingredients, Langbaan won outstanding restaurant, while Chicago restaurant Lula Cafe, a bistro that opened in 1999 on the city’s North Side, won an award for outstanding hospitality.

Erika and Kelly Whitaker, a Colorado couple, won outstanding restauranteur.
Their Id Est Hospitality Group runs several Colorado restaurants including The Wolf’s Tailor, which serves wild game like smoked venison. Their restaurants have a focus on zero waste and sustainability practices.
“We don’t particularly chase these awards,” Kelly Whitaker said. “But we definitely chase the platform this brings.”
NOTE: The original airdate of the video attached to this article is May 23, 2024.

On October 9, the “Winds of the Valley” exhibition, celebrating the 70-year history and achievements of the Shanxi Geological Survey, opened at the Shanxi Natural History Museum. This event showcases not only the significant geological accomplishments of Shanxi Province but also features artistic works inspired by the region’s rich geological narrative.

Since its establishment 70 years ago, the Shanxi Geological Survey has remained committed to its mission of “serving the nation through geology and mineral exploration.” Generations of geologists have embodied the principles of “Three Honors and Four Specials,” contributing to the discovery of 112 types of mineral resources and confirming reserves for 69 of them. This dedicated work has led to the identification of 1,726 mineral sites, playing a crucial role in establishing Shanxi’s reputation as a major mining and resource-rich province. Over the years, five geological teams have been recognized as national “Meritorious Geological Teams,” with 135 projects winning provincial and ministerial-level awards for technological advancement and outstanding geological achievements.

In the new era, Shanxi’s geological professionals are tasked with safeguarding energy resource security, supporting ecological civilization initiatives, and mitigating geological disasters. They are essential partners in managing natural resources, providing robust support for national development and the high-quality growth of Shanxi. Furthermore, they are actively engaging with the Belt and Road Initiative, expanding into markets in Africa and South America through engineering projects.

Throughout these 70 years, Shanxi’s geologists have maintained an optimistic outlook, drawing inspiration from the region’s natural beauty and nurturing a profound love for life. Many have also pursued artistic endeavors, creating a wealth of literary, photographic, calligraphic, and painting works that reflect their experiences and observations.

Since 2021, the exhibition’s organizers have conducted four cultural and artistic outreach programs titled “Geologists of the Mountains and Rivers,” in which 30 to 40 literary and artistic professionals have traveled across the Shanxi region to capture the essence of geological work through their art, thereby promoting the achievements of Shanxi’s geological development and sharing its stories.

This current exhibition not only highlights the fruitful outcomes of 70 years of geological work in Shanxi but also retraces the arduous journey of the past decades. Through photography, traditional artwork, and publications, it showcases the noble spirit and vibrant demeanor of Shanxi’s geologists.

With this exhibition, the next generation of geological professionals in Shanxi is inspired to keep innovating and diligently progressing, continuing to serve the province’s high-quality development and contributing to comprehensive transformation efforts.