JBFA Rising Star Chef finalists and Tan France get ready carpet ready

JBFA Rising Star Chef finalists are ditching the chef coats for one night. With help from Queer Eye’s Tan France, these chefs are red carpet ready.

This year’s JBFA Rising Star Chef finalists are going to look chic for the annual James Beard Foundation Awards. Queer Eye’s Tan France partnered with the Rising Star Chef award sponsor, S.Pellegrino, to style the perfect look for their big night. These looks are a far cry from those chef whites.

The annual James Beard Foundation Awards are the Oscars of the food world. Each year, the award ceremony celebrates the best and brightest. From rising chefs to perennial achievements, this annual event showcases the immense talent, vision and hard work of the culinary industry.

While these talented chefs can create the perfectly stylized plate of food, a glamorous look for the award ceremony might be a little out of their comfort zone. In most cases, a chef’s outfit focuses more on function than fashion. Working in a kitchen is far different than walking a red carpet.

Each year, S. Pellegrino sponsors the JBFA Rising Star Chef award. This award recognizes, chefs who are “age 30 or younger and display impressive talent and potential, likely to make a significant impact on the industry for years to come.” This year’s nominees are: “Chef Ana Castro of Coquette, Chef Alisha Elenz of mfk, Chef Alex Hong of Sorrel, Chef Jesse Ito of Royal Izakaya, Chef Kwame Onwuachi of Kith/Kin and Chef Jon Yao of Kato.”

Check out this video of Tan France and the nominees talking about this experience.

Watching these chefs have the opportunity to celebrate their accomplishments in a grand way is heartwarming. In many cases, chefs are driven to create memorable food experiences because they have a desire to share their story. Food, and making food for others, is a personal connection that is a deeply rooted passion.

Each of the chef’s stories can inspire others beyond making delicious food. Their passion for their craft and their  motivation to push the food conversation forward brings excitement to the food world.

JBFA Rising Star Chef finalists get red carpet ready with help from Tan France and S. Pellegrino, photo provided by ACE Content

Additionally, the deeply rooted connection that these chefs have to family, friends and culture can encourage others to think about food in a different light. While the food on the plate is sustenance, that story behind the plate is equally important. From being respectful to ingredients to being thoughtful about the future, these topics reach far beyond the nominees for Rising Star Chef.

Congrats to the JBFA Rising Star Chef finalist and well done Tan France and S. Pellegrino celebrating these chefs accomplishments. The 2019 James Beard Foundation Awards gala will be held on May 6, 2019 in Chicago.

Have you eaten at any of these chefs’ restaurants? What inspires your food story?