The James Beard Awards may be approaching a major geographic shift. According to the report, the James Beard Foundation is now considering new host cities for the awards program, with the next location set to begin in 2029. Chicago has hosted the ceremony since 2015, and over that span the event has become closely tied to the city’s food identity.
That long relationship is tied to a contract that runs through 2028. After that, the foundation will need a new home for one of the culinary world’s most visible honors. The awards draw chefs, bartenders, and other food professionals to the host city each year, and the report notes that the event has become an important part of Chicago’s broader cultural and economic profile.
There is also a financial incentive for the next city in line. According to reporting shared by the James Beard Foundation, the awards generate $8.3 million in direct spending and more than $1 million in state and local tax revenue. That kind of impact helps explain why cities may be eager to compete for the prestige and tourism boost that come with hosting the ceremony.
For now, Chicago remains the awards’ longtime stage, but the search for a new host suggests a transition is coming. If the foundation does move the event, the change would mark the end of a partnership that has lasted more than a decade and helped make the James Beard Awards feel almost inseparable from the city itself.
Source: bonappetit.com
