On April 30, 2025, the third annual Restaurateur Awards, the most important Chinese cuisine awards in North America, announced its list of nominees.
Best New Restaurant
The Best New Restaurant Award recognizes recently opened, exceptional new restaurants.
YAO富瑶
New York，NY
BODAI Vegetarian 菩提
New York，NY
Four Kings 四大天王
San Francisco，CA
Beef Up by Uncle Huihui 老回回兰州牛肉面
New York，NY
Jun Bistro 云贵小馆
Milpitas，CA
Emerging Chef
The Emerging Chef Award recognizes rising star chefs who are showing great promise and innovation in their culinary craft.
周净媛（Echo Zhou）
Jun Bistro 云贵小馆
伍雅博(Yabo Wu)
YAO 富瑶，New York，NY
Anthony Wang
First Born，Los Angeles，CA
Yong Zhu
Sichuan Street Food 当代川菜，Pasadena， CA
Franky Ho
Four Kings 四大天王，San Francisco，CA
Outstanding Chain Brand
The Outstanding Chain Brand Award recognizes chain brands that demonstrate exceptional brand strength and industry influence in Chinese dining.
Chubby Cattle牛武士
Special Noodle 四姐
Uni Uni 攸攸茶
YAAAS TEA
Outstanding Restaurant
The Outstanding Restaurant Award recognizes restaurants that provide high-quality Chinese cuisine and have earned a strong reputation in the industry.
Yingtao 樱桃
New York，NY
Masterpiece 名厨堂
Duluth，GA
August Gatherings 富瑶
New York，NY
Chef Huang
New York，NY
Hainan Chicken House 海南鸡记
Brooklyn，NY
Sumiao Hunan Kitchen 素描湘
Cambridge，MA
Outstanding Chef
The Outstanding Chef Award recognizes chefs who demonstrate exceptional understanding of ingredients and possess outstanding talent and creativity.
梁继坚(Kenny Leung)
YAO 富瑶，New York，NY
唐代灿(Daican Tang)
Chang Chang，Washington, D.C.
Franky Ho
Four Kings 四大天王，San Francisco，CA
赵健才(John Zhao)
Veggie House 聚缘斋，Chicago，IL
黄维(Wei Huang)
Chef Huang，New York，NY
蒋文涛(Wentao Jiang)
Peter Chang Group
Outstanding Restaurateur
The Outstanding Restaurateur Award recognizes owners and operators of renowned restaurants who demonstrate exceptional leadership in restaurant management and operations.
汤鑫墀(Thomas Tang)
YAO Hospitality Corp 富瑶集团
赵子平 & 蔡丽娟(Ziping Zhao & Lijuan Cai)
洞庭春
周凯莉(Kelly Zhou)
YAAAS TEA
丁懿辰(Brandon Ting)
Kizuki International LLC 辉月集团
Harby Yang
Chubby Group
安秀杰（Amy An）
Special Noodle 四姐
The Authority Award of Chinese Cuisine
The Restaurateur Awards are organized by The Restaurateur, the largest Chinese restaurant magazine publication in the U.S., in partnership with The U.S.-China Restaurant Alliance, one of the most influential associations in the American Chinese restaurant industry.
Since the first wave of Chinese immigration to the U.S. in the mid-19th century, Chinese cuisine has a history spanning more than a century in the country. Today, it has become an integral part of the American food landscape. Yet, due to the long-standing racial discrimination, Chinese cuisine in North America has often been stigmatized as cheap or even unsanitary, and it has been frequently overlooked by the top awards in the mainstream U.S. restaurant industry. The Restaurateur Awards represent a meaningful step toward changing that narrative.
In December 2022, The Restaurateur announced the launch of the First Restaurateur Awards. The inaugural awards included eight categories: the Lifetime Achievement Award, the Community Hero of the Year Award, the Chinese Classics Award, as well as five professional awards: Outstanding Chef Award, Emerging Chef Award, Outstanding Restaurant Award, Best New Restaurant Award, and Outstanding Restaurateur Award.
Mission of the Restaurateur Awards
The mission of the Restaurateur Awards is to:
- Recognize the outstanding talents and achievements of Chinese Americans in the culinary industry.
- Promote dialogue and exchange between Chinese American cuisine and mainstream American society.
- Advocate for racial and gender equity.
- Encourage positive engagement between Chinese American culinary professionals and their communities.
- Foster sustainable and thriving community development.
The Third Annual Restaurateur Awards is proudly sponsored by MenuSifu, the leading all-in-one restaurant management software in the North American Asian restaurant industry. The awards ceremony will take place on May 17, 2025, at McCormick Place in Chicago, where the final winners will be announced.
