For those in the know, the James Beard Award is the culinary equivalent of the Oscars and the Nobel Prize all rolled into one with a nice remoulade. It’s the highest honor in the world of food and beverages, a celebration of meals that are truly happy, even if they come without the free toy. Two local connoisseurs of the kitchen, chef David Kinch and winemaker Randall Grahm, came home with the prize on Monday night.
Kinch, who lives in La Selva, runs the famous Manresa restaurant in Los Gatos, a showcase of modern cuisine combining French and Catalan cooking. This was his third nomination in as many years, and his first win in the “Best Chef, Pacific California and Hawaii Category.”
Randall Grahm of Bonny Doon Vineyard, one of the finest in the state (and with a damn good website to prove it), won in the category of Best Beverage Book for his memoir Been Doon So Long.
The James Beard Foundation Prides has as its mission to “celebrate, preserve, and nurture America’s culinary heritage and diversity in order to elevate the appreciation of our culinary excellence.” What better place to do that than right here? Read more at the Santa Cruz Sentinel.
