Visit www.experiencecolumbus.com/jamesbeard to see the Columbus chefs, pastry chefs, restaurants and bars we recommend nominating for the 2025 James Beard Awards in both the Restaurant and Chef Awards and Impact Awards. Have another local favorite? Feel free to nominate anyone you would like!
Here you’ll find key information you may need to complete your nomination, including what category they are eligible for and details about how they align with the James Beard Foundation’s values of equity, transparency, respect, integrity, and community.
Select the link to the awards program you wish to nominate someone for (the Restaurant and Chef Awards or the Impact Awards).
Login or enter your email address to register for a free account.
Follow the steps to create your free account.
Hit the Start Entry button.
If submitting for the Impact Awards, follow the prompts to submit your nomination.
If submitting for the Restaurant and Chef Awards, follow the prompts to submit your information. Below is more information that may be helpful as you complete the nomination.
For the category, select Restaurant and Chef Awards.
Select the subcategory for the chef or restaurant you are nominating:
The chefs we are recommending are in the following categories:
America’s Classics
Best Chefs in America – Great Lakes
Emerging Chef
Outstanding Bakery
Outstanding Bar
Outstanding Chef
Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker
Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service
Outstanding Restaurant
Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program
Enter the name of the chef or restaurant you are nominating.
Continue through the application process.
Fill in some brief details about yourself.
Fill in more information about the chef or restaurant.
Note: If asked about the restaurant region, Columbus is in the Great Lakes region.
Answer the question about why you are recommending this individual/restaurant.
You can submit a brief written response (no more than 300 words) or upload an audio or video reply (1-2 minutes).
Answer the impact statement question.
If you need to learn more about which of the James Beard Foundation values the individual/restaurant most aligns with, go to www.experiencecolumbus.com/jamesbeard.
Answer the are you the candidate question.
Finish your entry by hitting the blue Submit Entry button.
On the next screen, hit the Process for Free button.
You’re done!
If you’d like to nominate another chef or restaurant, select the Start Entry button toward the top of the page to begin another entry or return to www.jamesbeard.org/awards to nominate someone for the Impact Awards.
