Who is James Beard?

On 6th April, we had a special guest at Dante. On quiet wednesday night, that guy came into the kitchen to see the chef, Dante.  We have a chef's table at kitchen and a lot of customers are interested in seeing the kitchen and they so often come to the kitchen to see us that I thought that guy was one of " regular" customers, and I wouldn't even try to talk with him. ( even though I had known him, I wouldn't have spoken to him though.. )

The gentleman from J.B.F. and Chef Dante

After he left the kitchen, I figured out that he came to tremont to sight the restaurants from James Bread foundation. I thought that guy was Jeams Beard himself, and I was surprised still he was alive! But it was my misunderstanding, he already passed away 26 years ago. Maybe that guy was his son??? ( but James was gay, so maybe not.)

Every year in May, there is really honorable award which is called James Beard Foundation Award and it is often called " the Oscars of Food". The chef dante was nominated to that award many times. The recipients receive a bronze medallion, but no cash prizes. In 2009, the chef Michael Symon, at the restaurant Lola, received a medallion of the Great Lakes Chef.

Well, who the heck is James Beard??

In 1950s, he brought French cooking to the American cooking, and he is regarded as the father of American-style gourmet cooking.