Here's some context on the James Beard Awards:
The awards were launched in 1990 by the James Beard Foundation (JBF), an organization founded in the spirit of renowned chef and food writer James Beard and “believes in a vibrant, equitable, and sustainable independent restaurant industry that stands as a cornerstone of American culture, community, and economy—and drives forward a better food system.” New York Times contributing writer Brett Anderson juxtaposes the evolution of the Food Network and rise of celebrity chefs in the ‘90s and early 2000s-with the growing profile of the awards; “So as food becomes a bigger and bigger part of culture, and the chefs’ profiles rise, the awards themselves become more prominent. And suddenly, the awards have become arbiters of culture.”
Each year, JBF bestows honors on chefs, restaurateurs, and beverage professionals at the Restaurant and Chef awards in over 70 categories (the foundation also gives awards for Media and Impact in different ceremonies), and this year Chefs Rafael Rios and Matthew Cooper are up for the title of Best Chef: South. Bentonville is the only city to show up twice in the category, which is a very, very big deal considering the company we keep. Best Chef: South encompasses Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Puerto Rico, which means Rios and Cooper beat out nominees in culinary heavyweight cities like Miami, Birmingham, San Juan, and New Orleans to become finalists. In January of each year a list of semifinalists is announced for Best Chef categories in regions (ex. South, Pacific Northwest, and Midwest—California, New York, and Texas are regions unto themselves) as well as categories like Best New Chef, Outstanding Hospitality, and Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker among others. Then in April, a pared down list of finalists is announced that will compete for the top honors at the awards ceremony in June in Chicago. The nomination process is Oscars meets NBA Finals and for foodies, a nomination signals a can’t-miss dining opportunity.
This isn’t the first time Arkansas has shown up at the awards nor is it this year’s finalists first rodeo.
In fact, three NWA chefs were selected as semifinalists in 2025: Rafael Rios of Yeyo’s El Alma de Mexico in Bentonville, Matthew Cooper of Conifer in Bentonville, and Jordan Wright of Wright’s Barbeque in Johnson, the last of which is notable as NWA’s first James Beard nomination for a barbeque restaurant. Matthew Cooper was previously nominated as a semifinalist for Conifer, a 100% gluten free, hyper seasonal restaurant in 2024. Rafael Rios is Arkansas’ most nominated chef, making the semifinalist list for Yeyo’s El Alma de Mexico of Bentonville in 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024. Yeyo’s El Alma de Mexico along with Yeyo’s Mezcaleria in Downtown Rogers and two food trucks in Bentonville and Springdale are supplied by the Rios Family Farm and draw inspiration from the family’s heritage in Michoacán, Mexico, California, and Arkansas. Watching two long standing NWA culinary powerhouses compete for this year’s award is made sweeter by the respect they have for one another. Remarking on their relationship in 2024, Rios said of Cooper, “Being able to compete against them is a great thing. We are dear, dear friends. We're like brothers, and that makes it so much more special."
