Yotaka Martin of Lom Wong in Downtown Phoenix was just named Best Chef: Southwest at the 2025 James Beard Awards. The prestigious awards honor excellence in the culinary arts, food and beverage, and hospitality industries.
The awards were presented yesterday during a sold-out ceremony with more than 1,500 attendees at the Lyric Opera Chicago.
The Best Chef: Southwest category celebrated “chefs who set high standards in their culinary skills and leadership abilities and who are making efforts to help create a sustainable work culture in their respective regions. A candidate may be from any kind of dining establishment but must have been working as a chef in the region for at least three years. The medallion and a certificate are given to the winning chef or, in the case of a pair or team of chefs who are generally understood to be equal partners in the endeavor, chefs.”
In addition to Arizona, the Southwest region includes New Mexico, Nevada, and Oklahoma.
This marks the second year in a row that a Phoenix chef nabbed the award. Last year’s winner was Rene Andrade of Bacanora PHX.
Lom Wong celebrates the peoples and cultures of Thailand by offering the types of food that are typically found in the villages and ssmall towns across the country. Martin grew up in the village of San Maket, Chaing Rai, learning to cook from her family.
The voting process for the Restaurant and Chef Awards can be found here.
218 E. Portland St., Phoenix AZ 85004
