Three Filipino restaurants in three different parts of the U.S. are among the nominees at this year's James Beard Awards, the culinary world's equivalent of the Oscars. It's a sign that a cuisine that's historically been stifled by colonialism and generally unappreciated is coming into its own. The restaurants Archipelago in Seattle, Abacá in San Francisco and Kasama in Chicago all scored nods in the restaurant and chef categories. Kasama last year became the first Michelin-starred Filipino restaurant. These chefs are part of a younger generation giving voice to the Filipino American experience through the language of food. The awards ceremony is next week in Chicago.
In the culinary world, the awards are the equivalent of the Oscars. Three Filipino restaurants will be represented at the James Beard Foundation's annual awards ceremony, on June 5 in Chicago.
Like a lot of chefs, Aaron Verzosa has been hustling the past three years to get Archipelago, his Filipino restaurant in Seattle, through the pandemic and its ripple effects. Getting a James Beard Award nomination was a validating moment. “Being able to amplify and showcase stories about the Filipino American culture, the communities here, specifically […]