How to craft a strong impact statement for the James Beard Awards®
Quick Answers
- An impact statement is required and helps James Beard Awards voters understand the candidate and their work.
- Strong statements highlight culinary excellence, leadership, team culture, community impact, and contributions to the restaurant industry.
- Use specific, first-hand examples and explain how the candidate’s work reflects the James Beard Foundation’s mission and values.
- Impact statements can be 150–300 words or 1–2 minutes of audio or video, with content prioritized over production quality.
- Keep the statement authentic and in your own voice; AI-generated submissions are not accepted.
It’s official. The 37th annual James Beard Awards® season began on Sept. 30, starting with an open call for recommendations for the Restaurant and Chef Awards, as well as the Impact Awards and entries for the three Media Awards programs (Book, Broadcast Media, and Journalism). These awards recognize excellence in the culinary arts, food and beverage, and hospitality industries, and winners across all programs will be announced in Chicago June 12-14, 2027.
But the process begins with open nominations, running now through Nov. 30. During that time, you can go to the awards portal found here, and submit a recommendation for yourself or someone else. You’ll choose the category, and add your name and email, the restaurant region, city, name, and email, and an Impact Statement. “The goal of the Impact Statement is to get a sense of who the candidate is,” says Dawn Padmore, Vice President of Awards for the James Beard Foundation. “It’s a required part of the submission; it gives the voting body additional context from the entry. It’s a chance to explain what makes your work distinctive, how you lead your team, and the ways you contribute to your community and the broader restaurant industry. Excellence in food, beverage, and service remain at the heart of the Awards, but we’re also interested in understanding the people and practices behind that excellence.”
Details to consider
Whether you are submitting for yourself or for someone else, the guidelines state that you should describe the impact of the business (restaurant, bar, etc.) or professional (chef, pastry chef, baker or dessert professional or beverage professional), and how their work aligns with the Foundation’s mission and vision —Good Food for Good®—which is an expression of the Foundation’s values: equity, transparency, respect, integrity, and community.
If you’re writing a statement for the Impact Awards, be sure to touch upon how the applicant (or your own organization) is pushing standards to create a more equitable, sustainable, and economically viable restaurant industry and food system for producers, workers, and consumers alike. These initiatives can include anything from setting new standards for staffing and operational practices, to strengthening the farm-to-restaurant supply chain and mitigating extreme weather impact.
Tips for writing an impact statement in support of someone else’s nomination
If you’re submitting a Restaurant and Chef Awards recommendation for someone else, there are a few things to consider when it comes to crafting a statement. A few tips that you’ll find within the Restaurant and Chef eligibility document are:
- Based on your own dining experience, how does this candidate exemplify excellence?
- What is inspiring about the candidate?
- From your perspective, does there seem to be a positive team culture? What are some specific examples to note?
- If you’ve dined with the candidate multiple times, have your experiences been consistently positive? In what ways?
Tips for writing an impact statement for yourself
- What impact do you hope to have on the independent restaurant industry?
- How do you think your work reflects the James Beard Foundation’s mission and vision?
- What inspires you about American food/beverage culture?
What formats are accepted?
Statements can be submitted three ways—written, audio, or video, and Padmore says it’s more about content than quality. “All formats listed are accepted. The statements are reviewed for content and not for language fluency, length, video quality, or production value,” she says. The ideal length for a written statement is 150-300 words, and only 1-2 minutes for an audio or video submission. But no matter the best format for you, be sure to keep it in first-person (and offer pertinent, first-hand examples if you’re submitting for someone else). Be sure to write or record in your own voice, and keep in mind that any submissions that are AI-generated are not accepted.
Crafting your statement
All entrants should include statements that are authentic and specific in how a candidate’s work is expressed, from their culinary point of view to team culture, inspirations, and impact on their communities and the industry that one hopes to have.
Padmore points to the Restaurant and Chef Awards eligibility language as a guide for all entrants: While excellence in food and beverage remains at the core of the awards, winning entries will also align with the Awards mission statement and the vision and values of the James Beard Foundation. Candidates should also be making efforts to create a sustainable work culture while contributing positively to their broader community.
Liz Grossman is an award-winning Chicago-based writer, and the former editor-in-chief of Plate magazine. She’s the co-founder of the nonprofit storytelling series, Between Bites and a regular contributor to Resy, Chicago magazine, Flavor & the Menu, Food Service Director, and Restaurant Development + Design.
