Did either of Kentucky's two James Beard Award finalists win in 2025?

Kentucky culinary history was in the making Monday night as two chefs from the state competed to win a prestigious 2025 James Beard Award.

Louisville chef Noam Bilitzer of MeeshMeesh Mediterranean in NuLu and chef Sara Bradley of freight house in Paducah were both up as finalists for the "Best Chef: Southeast" category, after previously being named to the list of 20 semifinalists in the "Best Chef: Southeast" category. Only five nominees make it from the semifinalist to finalist round in each category. And, this year, two finalists hailed from Kentucky.

Known as the Oscars of the culinary world, a win for either Bradley or Bilitzer would've made them the first chef from Kentucky to take home the highly-esteemed honor.

On the red carpet ahead of the James Beard Foundation annual Restaurant and Chef Awards, held at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, celebrity chef and writer Gregory Gourdet commented on how Bradley has put "Kentucky on the global map." He also asked Bradley, a native of Paducah, about what it means to represent her region.

“You work so hard for so long and then you get recognition and honestly this is just as much me as it as my community,” Bradley, who wore a pink dress embroidered with flowers, said via a livestream of the awards ceremony on Eater.com. “You know, we're rural Kentucky. And I'm just so happy that we just get to let everybody see a little bit of that.”

Sara Bradley is one of the headlining chefs at the James Beard Foundation's Taste America event.

The "Best Chef: Southeast" category covers chefs representing Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and West Virginia. The other 2025 finalists included chefs in Nashville, Asheville, and West Columbia, South Carolina.

On Monday, Jake Howell of Peninsula in Nashville brought home the honors as the winner of the 2025 "Best Chef: Southeast" category.

"It's such an honor that I can't even put it into words," Howell said on stage on Monday.

The James Beard win might've eluded a Kentucky chef once again, but having two finalists in one year was still a feat.

"I'm incredibly honored to be a nominee for the James Beard Award for 'Best Chef: Southeast,'" Bradley told the Courier Journal after the results. "This nomination is a tribute to the entire freight house team, our families, our loyal guests, and the Paducah community."

Of the ceremony at the Lyric Opera, Bradley also said "it was such a special evening to be included and be among the best in the culinary community."

Noam Bilitzer is the chef/owner of MeeshMeesh Mediterranean in Louisville, Ky. on Mar. 13, 2025.

Since opening MeeshMeesh in Sept. 2023, Bilitzer, the other Kentucky finalist, has made a name for himself on the Louisville dining scene, after Yelp listed his small Market Street spot as one of the best new restaurants in America. And with more than 120,000 followers on Instagram, Bradley is no stranger to the spotlight. She's known for her runner-up performance on "Top Chef: Kentucky" in 2019.

When they were named finalists back in April, Bilitzer and Bradley both expressed their surprise and gratitude about the honor with the Courier Journal.

“It's special for me, but I really appreciate it as more of recognition for the team here,” Noam, 32 previously told the Courier Journal about the nomination. “It definitely puts us on a different map.”

"I’m ecstatic," Bradley told the Courier Journal. "To receive this nomination, it’s big for this community."

Has a Kentuckian ever won a James Beard Award?

Holly Hill will offer a series of intimate classes designed and led by Holly Hill founder Ouita Michel and other members of our culinary team, we’ll explore the possibilities of a Farmers Market mystery haul, discover how certain dishes became Kentucky classics, and cut up with friends from the food world. July 6, 2023

A handful of Kentucky chefs have been named as semifinalists or nominees multiple times, including Ouita Michel (9) of Midway/Lexington and Kathy Cary (8), Anthony Lamas (4) and Edward Lee (10) of Louisville, but none have cinched a win, the Courier Journal previously reported.

Lee did, however, win the James Beard Foundation Humanitarian of the Year Award in 2024 for his work with the LEE Initiative, which promotes diversity, equity, and sustainability in the restaurant industry by empowering culinary employment, supporting inclusive mentorship and training, and conducting research to address critical industry challenges.

Only two of 67 total James Beard Award semifinalists or nominees from Kentucky have won — The Beaumont Inn in Harrodsburg in the America's Classics category in 2015 and Julian P. Van Winkle III in the Outstanding Wine & Spirits Professional in 2011.

This year marked the 35th anniversary of the James Beard Awards, considered among the highest culinary honors. The awards "recognize exceptional talent in the culinary and food media industries, as well as a demonstrated commitment to equity, sustainability, and creating a culture where all can thrive," according to a press release from the James Beard Foundation.

Reach food and dining reporter Amanda Hancock at [email protected].