Oklahoma trims its Beard deficiency

Two JBF Awards in two years has local chefs brimming with inspiration

A week ago, Oklahoma’s only James Beard Award winner belonged to Florence’s Restaurant with two chefs nominated for the 2023 Best Chef Southwest Award. Today, the best chef in the Southwest region of the United States lives and cooks in Oklahoma City.

I would argue the two best chefs in the Southwest region of the United States live and cook in Oklahoma City.

Chef Andrew Black took home the award on Monday, edging Ma Der Lao Kitchen’s Jeff Chanchaleune, three chefs from Las Vegas and one from New Mexico.

Beard Awards are new to this market. Before Florence Jones Kemp and her daughter Victoria were awarded their medallions last year, Chanchaleune’s 2019 nomination was the first evidence the New York-based foundation even recognized Oklahoma had restaurants, much less chefs.

Sure, the Beard Foundation had a handful of times hosted Oklahoma chefs in New York City for ticketed events, including my old pal John Bennett. But not even a nomination despite Beard’s consultation on The Cellar Café back in 1965 and lifelong friendships with Frank Hightower and chef John Bennett.

There is a difference between the two JBF Awards Oklahoma now boasts. Florence’s Restaurant received an American Classics award last year, recognizing the seven decades founder Florence Jones Kemp continues to put into the iconic café with her daughter Victoria.

Black’s award recognizes his work as a chef last year.

Both awards have historic implications, but Florence’s truly is about history. Every day the restaurant remains open and every day Florence brings her skills to the kitchen the legacy grows. Florence might not have won a chef’s award, but only a fool would argue she isn’t a chef. In fact, “chef” doesn’t begin to cover Florence Jones Kemp.

Black’s award has a temporary quality. Yes, he will always be the first Oklahoman to win a Best Chef JBF award, but this time next year a new Best Chef Southwest will be named. It might even be another Oklahoma chef. However, the win likely makes future nominations easier, but it won’t increase his odds of taking home more medals.

But that won’t stop him from trying. Chef Black’s ambitions for the future were big before he won. Black was a finalist for Outstanding Chef in America by the JBF last year. No doubt, returning for that medal remains a goal.

Before the ceremony, he made clear the glimmer he chased was less about gold than an inkling. An inkling he had about how Oklahoma’s culinary identity might grow if enough light would just find it.

“It doesn’t matter if we win or we lose this award,” he told me over lunch three weeks ago. “We’re doing things. We’re pushing forward all the time. Goals drive us. If we reach our goals, we believe the recognition will come.”

At dinner at Nonesuch the following week, Black made clear he wasn’t talking strictly about his endeavors.

“I don’t care if it’s me or Jeff wins it, I hope one of us does just for this market. It’s meals like this, man, that prove Oklahoma City is as talented as any market,” he said between bison with fava and a palmier paired with green tea. “Nonesuch and Grey Sweater are the same. The only thing that’s different is an idea. They got the idea of making dishes with the best local ingredients; Grey Sweater searches around the globe. One isn’t better, it’s just a different choice. We have so much talent here, man, the people need to know.”

Among the things he said Monday night from the stage was, “We now have the responsibility to work harder.”

Black also congratulated Chanchaleune, whom he believes will win the award in the near future, from the stage of Chicago’s Lyric Opera on Monday. Back home, a small the crowd of chefs gathered at The Tasting Room. Among those rooting on Black and Chanchaleune was Nonesuch’s general manager Chad Lupan and its new executive chef Garrett Hare.

Chef Kurt Fleischfresser hosted the chefs potluck watch party with chef Jason Jones. Jason made open-face chicken biscuits drizzled with honey, Josh Valentine of Milo brought salmon dip, Kurt brought special anchovies back from France and made canapes. David Henry of La Baguette brought flank steak and Zach Hutton of Scratch Paseo brought his other-worldly collard greens. I brought a green chili hominy casserole

The food and drink were terrific, and the conversation even better; however, all that went quiet when the nominees for Best Chef Southwest were announced. When Black’s name was announced, the place went wild. The enthusiasm and inspiration meter ran in the red until midnight, thanks to chef Black’s speech. When he called to say thanks, the room erupted.

Oklahoma culinary history cracked open a door to the world last year with Florence’s win. Chef Black’s achievement compounds the efforts to make it fly open. This is occasion for Oklahoma’s food-service industry to celebrate for sure, but an even bigger call to sally forth.

In the weeks to come, Black hopes to announce plans that will rock the 405 diningscape and show he is fully invested in growing the visibility of Oklahoma dining and its cuisine. I can’t say more because chips are still falling into place and options remain open. Black was juggling several opportunities before winning the award, which will no doubt affect his business interests henceforth.

In case you missed it, Saturday’s episode of Eat, Drink & be Local featured two of Black’s restaurants, Black Walnut and The Gilded Acorn. You can watch that below.

Next Saturday, the show will offer viewers the chance to dine at Grey Sweater.

Tex-Mex-ages

Used to get excited at the notion of Texas sending us sweet, sweet Tex-Mex and Tex-Mex-adjacent eateries like Chuy’s or Velvet Taco. But each recently opened new spots in the Memorial Road corridor, and I can think of ten places I’d rather eat than either. Not so much a slap at those taco-centric institutions (which are the best kind of institutions) as a clap for the evolution of local fare.

Say for instance Tarahumara in Norman decide it was going to expand. Would much rather have it near my place than either Chuy’s or Velvet Taco. Wait, what’s that whisper I hear? Tarahumara is considering expansion? Where did you? Sorry, appears to be some interference. South what?

Stay tuned.

Stay hungry.