Houston bar scores city's first-ever national James Beard Award

HOUSTON, Texas -- A select group of Texas chefs, a bartender, and a food writer are sporting shiny new medals. They are the winners of this year's James Beard Awards.

Between a media awards ceremony held on Saturday, June 11 and the restaurant and chef awards ceremony on Monday, June 13, five Texans won awards. They are:

• Austin chef Edgar Rico (Nixta Taqueria) for Emerging Chef

• Houston cocktail bar Julep for Outstanding Bar Program

• Austin chef Iliana de la Vega (El Naranjo) for Best Chef: Texas

• Austin chef Jesse Griffiths (Dai Due) for his cookbook, The Hog Book: A Chef's Guide to Hunting, Butchering and Cooking Wild Pigs

• Texas Monthly Taco Editor Jose Ralat for his Tex-Mexplainer columns

Outstanding Chef went to Mashama Bailey of The Grey in Savannah, Georgia. Phoenix-based chef Chris Bianco won Outstanding Restaurateur.

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