Philadelphia chef and restaurant honored with prestigious James Beard Awards

CHICAGO, Ill. (WPVI) -- A Philadelphia chef received the Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic Award at this year's James Beard Awards.

Jesse Ito, of Royal Sushi & Izakaya, was up against four-time nominee Amanda Shulman from Her Place Supper Club and two-time nominees Omar Tate and Cybille St. Aude-Tate from Honeysuckle.

Ito is a nine-time nominee, and this is his first win.

He recently added a second restaurant, Dancerobot, that highlights his Japanese culture in a modern way.

Jesse partnered with kitchen collaborator Justin Bacharach on the second location in Rittenhouse.

The eatery boasts an 80-seat dining room and a 20-seat bar.

The menu delivers comfort food with a Japanese twist, crudos and brunch on the weekends.

Kalaya in Fishtown won the James Beard award for best restaurant.

This year marked the fourth nomination for the Southern Thai hot spot and chef Nok Suntaranon, who also won Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic in 2023.

Kalaya became a Michelin-recognized restaurant last year, and Suntaranon was also named North America's Best Female Chef.

This year's James Beard Awards were held on Monday night in Chicago, Illinois.