Oklahoma City’s restaurant scene has been on a roll these past few years. If the endless spree of openings, the out-of-town expansions and the crowded dining rooms aren’t indication enough, look no further than our city’s impressive history with the James Beard Awards.  

 

Regarded as one of the foremost restaurant awards in the world, the James Beard Awards are to food as the Grammys are to music, or the Oscars are to film. In other words, snagging one of these coveted trophies, which are doled out annually at a glitzy ceremony in Chicago, is no small feat. In 2022, Florence Jones became the first Oklahoman to take home a James Beard Award — an America’s Classic Award, for her namesake Florence’s Restaurant. A year later, Andrew Black became the first Oklahoman to win a chef award at the 2023 ceremony, for Best Chef: Southwest, and his theatrical tasting menus at Grey Sweater.  

 

This year has already proven to be a banner one for Oklahoma, earning more James Beard nominations than ever before, including big-ticket nods in the largest national categories. So here’s what to know about Oklahoma City’s James Beard Award-winning chefs and restaurants and the incredible nominees.  

 

Winners

Florence's

Florence’s Restaurant — America’s Classic Award, 2022 

A year before Florence Jones was named a Visit OKC Hometown Hero, she became Oklahoma’s first James Beard Award-winner, for her legacy work at Florence’s Restaurant. The restaurant, which opened in 1952, has been a staple on the Northeast Side for decades, drawing generations of diners for her homespun soul food, like “yammed fried chicken,” grilled beef liver and pork chops.  

 

Andrew Black, Grey Sweater — Best Chef: Southwest, 2023 

Another Hometown Hero, Andrew Black became Oklahoma’s first chef to win a James Beard Award, when he prevailed as Best Chef: Southwest for Grey Sweater. The Deep Deuce restaurant offers dazzling degustations of seasonal dishes inspired by global flavors and intricate, artful techniques. Tasting menus rotate constantly, and on any given evening could include items like saffron- and miso-poached Yukon Gold potatoes with caviar, or butter-poached scallops with coconut sauce.  

 

Nominees

Nonesuch

Nonesuch — Outstanding Restaurant 

Nominated for one of the top awards of the evening, Nonesuch is in the running for Outstanding Restaurant in the country. The Midtown restaurant, which fuses fine dining with balanced whimsy, reopened under new ownership last year, and the re-concept has proven to be a smashing success. Under executive chef Garrett Hare, the intimate semi-open kitchen turns out a carousel of elaborate dishes — such as catfish-shrimp roulade with whey beurre blanc, and chicken-fried steak with bonito gravy and roe.  

 

Olivier Bouzerand, Fait Maison — Best Chef: Southwest 

The chef behind Edmond’s fanciful French restaurant, Fait Maison, Olivier Bouzerand presides over a restaurant both deeply classic, and profoundly creative. The elegant restaurant offers tasting menus woven with French technique and rigorous seasonality, like asparagus vichyssoise with lobster and lemon butter, sea scallop quenelle with morel mushrooms and Amaretto sabayon, and lamb loin with black garlic sauce, sea urchin sabayon, and fondante potato.  

 

Zack Walters, Sedalia’s Oyster & Seafood — Best Chef: Southwest 

Ever since opening in 2022, the accolades have been free-flowing at Sedalia’s Oyster & Seafood. A true original, known for its pristine oysters and raw bar fare in an unassuming locale near the OKC Fairgrounds, the restaurant is the singular vision of chef Zack Walters, along with his wife, Silvana Arandia-Walters, whose Bolivian background lends distinct flavor to the always-changing menus. Most dishes change daily, including a daily selection of oysters (among the best in town) and raw bar items (e.g. pomfret crudo with strawberry kosho, fig leaf oil, and fennel). Don’t miss the fluffy focaccia with salt cod butter, and keep your eyes peeled for show-stoppers like skate schnitzel.

 

Find more information on Oklahoma City's James Beard Award Winners and Nominees.