Rhode Island James Beard Award Winners Over the Years

Rhode Island James Beard Award Winners Over the Years

This year marked the 35th anniversary of the James Beard Awards, considered the most prestigious culinary accolade in the United States.

For many years, Rhode Island restaurants and chefs have been nominated or named semi-finalists, but the list of winners in Rhode Island is only for a select few.

Just seven.

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Derrick Wagner of Nick's on Broadway has been in the running four times, including this year, but has never broken through.

In total, over the 35 years, 77 Rhode Island chefs of restaurants have been nominated.

This week, Sky Haneul Kim of Gift Horse in Providence won the award for Best Chef: Northeast (CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT).

"The James Beard Awards are the Oscars of the culinary world. To have Chef Kim and the Gift Horse team be recognized on a national stage really cements Providence’s stature as a top culinary destination,” said Kristen Adamo, President & CEO of the Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau.

“When you have incredible talent around every corner, a top culinary school like Johnson & Wales, abundant seafood fresh from Narragansett Bay, and waves of immigrants who have brought the flavors of their culture to a city, it’s hard to beat. GoProvidence is lucky to have those assets to promote,” Adamo added.

The stars who put Providence on the map were husband and wife combo George Germon and Johanne Killeen who were the first two to win in Rhode Island.

He died in 2015, but their Al Forno remains an epicurean tour de force today.

 

Here is the full list of those who have won in Rhode Island over the past 35 years:

Sky Haneul Kim
2025 Best Chef Northeast
Rhode Island, Providence
Winner

Sherry Pocknett
2023 Best Chef Northeast
Rhode Island, Charlestown
Winner

Olneyville New York System
2014 America's Classics
Rhode Island, Providence
Winner

Aunt Carrie's
2007 America's Classics
Rhode Island, Narragansett
Winner

Elsie Foy
2007 America's Classics
Rhode Island, Narragansett
Winner

George Germon
1993 Best Chefs in America Northeast
Rhode Island, Providence
Winner

Johanne Killeen
1993 Best Chefs in America Northeast
Rhode Island, Providence
Winner

This story was first published 6/17/25 6:46 PM