empty-handed on Monday.

This year, the nonprofit James Beard Foundation recognized more than 100 restaurants and food-makers as finalists across 25 categories.

Each winner was presented with a certificate and medallion engraved with the image of James Beard, the lauded American chef, cookbook author, television personality and teacher for whom the awards are named.

Although he scored his first finalist placement with the James Beard Foundation, Castillo was bested by Jon Yao of Kato in Los Angeles. The category also included Tara Monsod of San Diego’s Animae, Richard Lee of Saison in San Francisco and Kosuke Tada of Mijoté in San Francisco.

During his acceptance speech, Yao said, “At our restaurant, we tell stories of immigrants, diaspora, endurance and perseverance. L.A. is a city built by the toil of the immigrant community, and right now those same communities are being ripped apart.”

The San Gabriel Valley native went on to ask the audience to use their voices and platforms to speak out, adding, “We all deserve the freedom to pursue our dreams, to determine our own futures, and be treated with equal dignity and respect.”

This marks the third year in a row the best chef in California accolade went to a Los Angeles name; Kuya Lord chef Lord Maynard Llera nabbed the regional award in 2024, with Justin Pichetrungsi of Anajak Thai winning it in 2023.

Despite being named as finalists for the second year in a row for the outstanding wine and other beverages program award, Ying Chang and Robert Adamson’s Strong Water Anaheim lost to Charleston in Baltimore. The shipwreck-themed bar in North County also competed against Bar Brava in Minneapolis; Campo at Los Poblanos in Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, New Mexico, and March in Houston.

On another local note, R.J. Yoakum, executive chef at Georgie in Dallas, was a finalist in the emerging chef category. Yoakum, who previously worked in the kitchens of The French Laundry and Angler SF, grew up in Mission Viejo. Phila Lorn of Philadelphia’s Mawn won the category.

The full list of James Beard Awards 2025 winners is as follows:

Emerging chef: Phila Lorn of Mawn in Philadelphia

Outstanding pastry chef or baker: Cat Cox of Country Bird Bakery in Tulsa, Oklahoma

Outstanding bakery: Jinju Patisserie in Portland, Oregon

Best new bar: Identidad Cocktail Bar in San Juan, Puerto Rico

Outstanding professional in beverage service: Arjav Ezekiel of Birdie’s in Austin, Texas

Outstanding professional in cocktail service: Ignacio Jimenez of Superbueno in New York City

Outstanding wine and other beverages program: Charleston in Baltimore

Outstanding bar: Kumiko in Chicago

Best chef in the mid-Atlantic: Carlos Delgado of Causa and Amazonia in Washington, D.C.

Best chef in New York: Vijay Kumar of Semma in New York City

Best chef in the South: Nando Chang of Itamae AO in Miami

Best chef in the Pacific Northwest: Timothy Wastell of Antica Terra in Amity, Oregon

Best chef in the Northeast: Brian Lewis of The Cottage in Westport, Connecticut

Best chef in the Midwest: Karyn Tomlinson of Myriel in St. Paul, Minnesota

Best chef in California: Jon Yao of Kato in Los Angeles

Best chef in the mountain region: Salvador Alamilla of Amano in Caldwell, Idaho

Best chef in the Southwest: Yotaka Martin of Lom Wong in Phoenix

Best chef in the southeast region: Jake Howell of Peninsula in Nashville, Tennessee

Best chef in the Great Lakes: Noah Sandoval of Oriole in Chicago

Best chef in Texas: Thomas Bille of Belly of the Beast in Spring, Texas

Outstanding hospitality: Atomix in New York City

Best new restaurant: Böcheron in Minneapolis

Outstanding restauranteur: Lee Hanson and Riad Nasr of Frenchette, Le Veau d’Or and Le Rock in New York City

Outstanding restaurant: Frasca Food and Wine in Boulder, Colorado

Outstanding chef: Jungsik Yim of Jungsik in New York City

James Beard Foundation lifetime achievement award: Toni Tipton-Martin

James Beard Foundation humanitarian of the year: Chad Houser

A body of judges in the culinary industry evaluates nominees based on their skills in the kitchen or behind the bar, including behavioral ethics and employee treatment. The James Beard Foundation has presented these awards annually since 1991, with the exceptions of 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Media awards honoring cookbook authors, journalists and other media professionals were handed out at a ceremony on Saturday.