After facing questions about its new processes, the James Beard Foundation held its annual gala in Chicago on Monday.

The James Beard Awards revealed its 2023 winners, including groundbreaking firsts for the annual ceremony, often called the Oscars of the food world.

A group of students from Kendall College as well as past Beard Award winners pose on the red carpet at the 2023 James Beard Awards. Barry Brechiesen At a red-carpet event tonight at the Lyric Opera in Chicago,

The James Beard Awards are considered to be one of the highest honors in the culinary industry. These awards don't just highlight the excellence in quality. They also honor chefs and restaurants for their contribution to their communities The ceremony at the Lyric Opera House will start on Monday night.

Headliners include Rob Rubba of Oyster Oyster in Washington, DC, Damarr Brown's Virtue in Chicago, Portland-based Kann by Gregory Gourdet, and Friday Saturday Sunday in Philadelphia.

The San Francisco Bay Area had three finalists in the running for the country’s top culinary awards but came up empty when the James Beard Foundation medallions were bestowed on chefs, restaurateurs and others Monday evening in Chicago.

This wasn’t Alabama’s year at the 2023 James Beard Awards. A year after chef Adam Evans of Birmingham’s Automatic Seafood and Oysters was named Best Chef: South, no chefs or restaurants from Alabama were among the winners at tonight’s James Beard Foundation Awards ceremony at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.