It’s been a minute since I’ve wandered through a James Beard Foundation event, chatting with chefs and prep cooks, grabbing drinks from bartenders and spirits slingers. While tasting events can often be overwhelming, with rooms packed to the gills and folks fighting for plates, I found Seattle’s Taste America event to be rather reasonable. As the lights of Alaskan Way rose in the distance with the Great Wheel casting a purple glow across the bay, purveyors and guests mingled comfortably, a Sunday social of food and drink lovers.
As part of its reach through culinary communities across the country, the James Beard Foundation’s Taste America events bring together local faces and places to showcase bites and beverages in the area. Each Taste America is hosted by a TasteTwenty chef – ambassadors of their cities, if you will – and every year, the James Beard Foundation chooses a new set of TasteTwenty chefs to “celebrate the diversity of American food culture.”
Seattle chef Jhonny Reyes, who has been wowing Emerald City diners with inspired Afro-Latino dishes at his restaurant, Lenox, since 2024, received one of this year’s TasteTwenty recognitions.
“It’s great to be here with a lot of people that I know – my friends, my family, as I call them. To really be able to showcase this wonderful thing we have here in Seattle, and in Washington in general,” said Reyes.
The vibe was relaxed as DJ Mixxtress played tunes from the corner of the ballroom and guests mingled between tables. Longtime Seattle chefs Ethan Stowell, a past JBFA nominee, and Tom Douglas, a past JBFA winner, were busy prepping food and chatting with guests, serving bite-sized dishes including a bluefin tuna crudo and a Prosser Valley butternut squash crostata, respectively. Young prep chefs oohed and ahhed over the miso black cod kasuke handroll from chef Kyu Han of Sugo Hand Roll Bar. Renowned barman and restaurateur Chris Elford shook hands and handed out cocktails. Recent James Beard Foundation Award semifinalists Thai Nguyen and Trinh Nguyen of Ramie, along with recent nominees Aaron Tekulve of Surrell and Janet Becerra of Pancita, were also busy plating dishes and smiling for photos.
With current food prices and expenses skyrocketing, I wanted to chat about business as well, how chefs and restaurateurs are working to keep their doors open. Though grand tastings can be costly and time-consuming for chefs and their staff, culinary events like Taste America can help to keep local bars and restaurants top of mind for consumers, particularly during economic struggles.
“It’s hard on everyone, of course, but it’s even harder on myself and others who have a niche. Everyone’s paying times ten,” said chef and owner Tina Fahnbulleh of Gold Coast Kitchen. “What I’ve learned to do is adapt, pivot, and cross-train everyone.”
“It’s such a brutal market,” said past nominee Erik Haikkinen of Roquette, who was on hand with his right-hand man, Kyton Blair, mixing award-winning cocktails.
Chef Reyes noted the benefits of the community camaraderie at such events. “We don’t get to see a lot of each other because we’re working. But when we finally get the opportunity, we’re like, ‘Okay, so what’s working for you?’ You do a little bit of everything, and hopefully you can make it work.”
~Jennifer Matthewson
Photos: Jennifer Matthewson/Daily Blender