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New York - May 8, 2000 - Winners were announced for the Tenth Annual James Beard Foundation Awards honoring excellence and achievement in the culinary industry at a ceremony held Monday, May 8, at the New York Marriott Marquis hosted by actors Marisa Tomei and Paul Sorvino. Award recipients were presented with a bronze medallion etched with the image of James Beard. A total of 68 awards were presented in 2000. More than 1600 food and beverage industry professionals attended the presentation.

"In the last decade since The James Beard Foundation Awards were established, we have witnessed a significant transformation in how our industry is perceived. Ten years ago only a few culinary professionals were household names. Today, we have chefs who are celebrities, cookbook authors with top-selling books and food entrepreneurs coast to coast. Finally this industry and its talented people have achieved both the professional and public recognition they deserve," said Len Pickell, president of The James Beard Foundation.

James Beard Foundation Award nominees and winners were selected by more than 600 food and beverage industry professionals around the nation by confidential ballot. Tabulation was conducted by Deloitte & Touche LLP. A full listing of awards results can be found at www.jamesbeard.org. Here is a summary of highlights:

The Foundation presented awards in 12 categories for food and beverage books published in 1999 in the U.S. and Canada. A Mediterranean Feast by Clifford A. Wright (William Morrow & Co.) was named KitchenAid Cookbook of the Year. "This book is an impressive original study of the cradle of food civilization and marks an important achievement in the field of culinary history," commented Carol Haddix, chairperson of The James Beard Foundation Book Awards Committee.

Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan (Alfred A. Knopf) was inducted into the KitchenAid Cookbook Hall of Fame. "Even 27 years after it was first published in 1973, this book is still considered one of the first authoritative sources on Italian cooking in this country," said Haddix.

The Book Awards Committee establishes its awards categories after receiving entries. Categories reflect current cookbook publishing trends. According to the committee, the trends noted among this year's awards entries included: cooking for a healthy lifestyle versus a specific diet, home-style cooking, casual entertaining, books by or about chefs and restaurants, and decadent desserts.

David Bouley, executive chef and owner of Danube and Bouley Bakery restaurants, New York City, received the All-Clad Metalcrafters Outstanding Chef Award. Charlie Trotter's, Chicago, was named San Pellegrino Outstanding Restaurant. Gary Danko, San Francisco, was named Illy Best New Restaurant. Andrew Carmellini, Café Boulud, New York City, was named Perrier-Jouët Rising Star Chef of the Year. Claudia Fleming, Gramercy Tavern, New York City, was named Hawaiian Vintage Chocolate Outstanding Pastry Chef. Wine importer Kermit Lynch, Kermit Lynch Wine Merchants, Berkeley, CA, was named Hudson Valley Foie Gras Outstanding Wine & Spirits Professional. Chanterelle, New York City, received the Rums of Puerto Rico Outstanding Service Award, and Rubicon, San Francisco, received the Sub-Zero Co. Outstanding Wine Service Award. New York City-based super-restaurateur, Drew Nieporent, was named James Beard Foundation Humanitarian of the Year, for his tireless volunteer work for more than a dozen charitable organizations.

Recipients of the American Express Best Chefs Award for chefs who display outstanding achievement in their regions include: Tom Colicchio, Gramercy Tavern, New York City; Michael Schlow, Radius, Boston; Craig Shelton, The Ryland Inn, Whitehouse, NJ; Ben Barker, Magnolia Grill, Durham, NC.; Arun Sampanthavivat, Arun, Chicago; Janos Wilder, Janos, Tucson, AZ; Judy Rodgers, Zuni Café, San Francisco and Jerry Traunfeld, The Herbfarm, Issaquah, WA.

Eight restaurants were named Bertolli Olive Oil Regional Classics, presented to locally owned and operated restaurants renowned for their timeless appeal and quality food. They include: Moosewood, Ithaca, NY; White House, Atlantic City, NJ; Mario's, Bronx, NY; Mrs. Wilkes Dining Room, Savannah, GA; Camp Washington Chili, Cincinnati, OH; The Original Sonny Bryan's, Dallas, TX; Swan Oyster Depot, San Francisco, CA and Helena's Hawaiian Foods, Oahu, HI.

The Foundation presented five awards for outstanding broadcasting on food and beverage topics aired in 1999. "The Kitchen Sessions with Charlie Trotter" (PBS) hosted by Charlie Trotter was named Viking Range Best National TV Cooking Show or Segment. The History Channel's "America Eats: History on a Bun" hosted by Ted Schillinger received the award for Viking Range Best Television Food Journalism. San Francisco's "Bay Café" (KRON/Bay TV) hosted by Joey Altman was named Viking Range Best Local Television Cooking Show or Segment. In radio broadcasting, awards went to "848", WBEZ, Chicago, hosted by Steve Dolinsky, and NPR's "Weekend All Things Considered" hosted by Daniel Zwerdling.

The sleek re-design of New York City's Brasserie, earned award medallions for New York design firms Diller & Scofidio, for Outstanding Restaurant Design, and 2 x 4 for Outstanding Restaurant Graphics.

Italian cooking authority Marcella Hazan was presented with the James Beard Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award. Five inductees were presented medallions for the D'Artagan Cervena Who's Who of Food and Beverage in America, for "significant and lasting national achievement within the industry." Recipients included: Barbara Fairchild, executive editor, Bon Appétit magazine; Thomas Keller, chef/owner, French Laundry, Yountville, CA; Michael Romano, chef/co-owner, Union Square Café, New York City; Jeffrey Steingarten, food columnist, Vogue; Larry Stone, master sommelier and wine director, Rubicon, San Francisco.

At a separate ceremony held at the Hilton New York on May 5, sixteen awards were presented to food and beverage journalists. Gourmet magazine received two awards in the categories of "Magazine Writing on Diet, Nutrition and Health" and "Magazine Feature Writing with Recipes". The San Francisco Chronicle received two awards in the categories of "Newspaper Feature Writing without Recipes" and "Newspaper Feature Writing about Restaurants and/or Chefs, with or without Recipes". Journalist Greg Atkinson, Food Arts, received the "M.F.K. Fisher Distinguished Writing Award". The Journalism Awards have no affiliated corporate sponsorships and are solely funded by The James Beard Foundation.

Entry forms for the 2001 Awards, scheduled for April 30, 2001, will be available in late September on www.jamesbeard.org, or by faxing a request to: 212-627-1064. Service to and membership in The James Beard Foundation is neither a requirement nor criteria for award consideration.

The James Beard Foundation is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to furthering the practice and appreciation of the culinary arts. The Foundation was established in 1985 in memory of James Beard, a chef, cookbook author and journalist who was considered the "father of American gastronomy." For membership information, call 1-800-36-BEARD (800-362-3273).

Sponsors of the 2000 James Beard Foundation Awards include: Alitalia; All-Clad Metalcrafters; American Express Company; Balducci.com; Barilla Pasta; Bertolli Olive Oil; BevAccess.com; Bindi; Champagne Perrier-Jouët; Chefwear; Citterio USA; D’Artagnan Cervena; Georgetown Farm; Hawaiian Vintage Chocolate; Hudson Valley Foie Gras; illy espresso of the americas, inc.; KitchenAid; Kobrand Corporation; National Cattlemen’s Beef Association; Perrier Group of America; Rums of Puerto Rico; Sub-Zero Freezer Company; Viking Range Corp.; and Weber Grills (Weber-Stephen Products Co.).

The American Express® Card is the official Card of The James Beard Foundation Awards.