ASHEVILLE – Two Western North Carolina chefs were among the nominees at the prestigious awards ceremony known as “the Oscars of the food world.”
On June 16, the 35th annual James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards, hosted at Lyric Opera in Chicago, recognized excellence across the nation’s food service industry.
Silver Iocovozzi, chef and co-owner of Neng Jr.’s in West Asheville, was a nominee for Best Chef: Southeast. However, the award went to Chef Jake Howell of Peninsula in Nashville.
Silver Iocovozzi, executive chef and co-owner of Neng Jr.’s, infuses traditional and contemporary recipes and techniques into the restaurant’s menu.
April Franqueza, of The Dining Room at High Hampton in Cashiers, was a nominee for Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker. Franqueza did not win the award, but told the Citizen Times in April what the consideration meant to her.
“I’m thankful for the opportunity, and hoping that this brings more people to the Western North Carolina area ― that we can share our good food and the love of good food with the people who want to visit,” Franqueza told the Citizen Times.
However, another Asheville chef is bringing home a medallion.
On June 14, Ashleigh Shanti, chef and owner of Good Hot Fish restaurant, won a James Beard Media Award for her debut cookbook, “Our South: Black Food Through My Lens.”
James Beard Award winners and events in Asheville
The James Beard Awards are stacking up for Asheville’s culinary greats.
In 2022, Chai Pani, an Indian street food restaurant, won the Outstanding Restaurant award, and Cúrate, a Spanish tapas bar, won the Outstanding Hospitality award.
April Franqueza, of The Dining Room at High Hampton in Cashiers, was named a 2025 James Beard Award finalist for Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker.
Many more chefs and restaurants have been considered in past years, earning semifinalist and finalist status.
This year’s semifinalists included William Dissen, chef and owner of The Market Place, for the Outstanding Chef and Leo’s House of Thirst for Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program.
Shanti was also a semifinalist for Best Chef: Southeast. In 2020, she was a nominee for Rising Star Chef.
In 2023, Neng Jr.’s was a semifinalist for Best New Restaurant.
A James Beard Awards medal. The prestigious awards program is known as “the Oscars of the food world.”
The James Beard Foundation’s namesake, James Beard, was an accomplished American chef, cookbook author and trailblazer of television cooking shows in the U.S. The foundation aims to “amplify and recognize, educate and train those committed to a new standard of excellence in independent,” supporting the “vibrant, equitable, and sustainable independent restaurant industry.”
In April, the James Beard Foundation hosted its Chef Action Summit in Asheville, with nearly 300 registered attendees from 37 states. The multiday conference consisted of panels and work sessions focused on supporting and improving food access nationwide for restaurants and communities, with topics including resilience amid tragedy, climate change and solutions, sustainable agriculture and restaurant practices, and food policy and nutrition.
For a complete list of the 2025 James Beard Awards nominees and winners, visit jamesbeard.org.
Tiana Kennell is the food and dining reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Tips, comments, questions? Email tkennell@citizentimes.com or follow @PrincessOfPage on Instagram/Bluesky.
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: 2025 James Beard Award winners announced, one medal coming home
