Editor’s note: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated the number of Texans who won James Beard Awards. This story has been updated.
AUSTIN (KXAN) — An Austinite was one of only three Texans who took home James Beard Awards Monday night.
The James Beard Foundation presents its Restaurant and Chef Awards each year, which are considered to be one of the nation’s most prestigious honors.
The awards “recognize exceptional talent in the culinary and food media industries, as well as a demonstrated commitment to equity, community, sustainability, and a culture where all can thrive,” according to a release from the foundation. This year marked the 35th anniversary of the awards.
Arjav Ezekiel snagged the title of Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service. Five people were nominated in the category, which was new for 2025, according to the foundation.
Ezekiel is the beverage director and co-owner of Birdie’s, a New American, “fine-casual,” counter service restaurant in east Austin.
According to the James Beard Foundation, the Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service category honors a service professional who curates and serves beverages in a restaurant, bar, winery, distillery or brewery that also serves food. The winner of the category “has set high standards; demonstrates creativity and consistency in excellence, innovation, hospitality; is making efforts to create a sustainable work culture; and has served as an exceptional example or mentor for other beverage professionals,” per the foundation.
In an interview with Getty at the awards ceremony, Ezekiel talked about what the award meant to him.
“I grew up in a world where the James Beard Foundation Awards signified achieving a level of, like, success and also a level of leadership in the restaurant world, ya know.” Ezekiel said. “To me, it’s the achievement of a lifetime, in part because of my story. We’re marching this industry forward in a really thoughtful and genuine way, I think, and it’s special.”
Ezekiel also talked about representing Birdie’s and his colleagues there.
“It’s awesome,” he said. “It was my name on the board, but it’s really like a testament to our team’s work. We have a really small dining room team that kinda brings that vision to life every day, so this was really a win for them.”
He expanded on that over a Zoom call on Tuesday, saying that while it does feel like “the pinnacle of a professional career,” since he’s a restaurant owner now, it has more to do with his team.
“You realize, like, without the team, all these things are just ideas, and you need people to bring those ideas to life,” Ezekiel said. “And we’re incredibly lucky to have a team that’s deeply dedicated to the restaurant. We have people on our team that are still there from the opening — shout out to Heejae, our executive sous [chef], who was part of the pre-opening team and is still there.”
Ezekiel said the award was especially meaningful to him because he was a recipient of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program, and the restaurant industry has been a welcoming and inclusive career.
“I feel so incredibly blessed to have fallen into a profession that values generosity, love, empathy, which are kind of the hallmarks of what hospitality is all about,” Ezekiel said. “And, you know, it’s really cool to be in an industry that not just acknowledges it, but rewards it, and I think yesterday was an example of how, when you approach your work with that kind of outlook, you can still win.”
The other Texans to take home awards were Thomas Bille, of Belly of the Beast in Spring, Texas, who won the Best Chef: Texas category, and Chad Houser, founder and CEO of Café Momentum, who was named as the James Beard Foundation’s Humanitarian of the Year.
The awards were celebrated Monday night at the Lyric Opera Chicago at a sold-out live ceremony with more than 1,500 guests. The ceremony was co-hosted by chef, restaurateur, and co-host of FOX’s “Next Level Chef,” Nyesha Arrington, and James Beard Award winner, TV personality, chef and writer Andrew Zimmern.