Miami chef Nando Chang wins James Beard Award
Nando Chang of Itamae AO in Midtown won the Best Chef: South category in the James Beard Awards last night — just one year after his sister, Valerie, won the same award.
ViceVersa in Downtown fell short in the Best New Bar category.
Why it matters: The James Beard Awards are the Grammys of the food and beverage world.
The big picture: Chang's win solidifies Miami as a foodie city with restaurants and talent worth celebrating.
Valerie's win last year marked the first time since 2010 a Miami chef took home an award, per the Foundation.
What they're saying: "It's pretty surreal," Chang told Axios after winning. "I was fortunate enough to watch my sister win this award last year, but being here in person this year [...] I feel very fortunate. We won back to back, it's pretty cool."
"My family and I owe Miami so much," he said. "We're blessed to have been embraced by the community and our hope is that we continue to have a space to further grow our culture."
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