The James Beard Foundation has announced a panel of jurors that will serve as the judging authority for the 2014 Restaurant Design Awards. The panel invites restaurants, architects, interior designers, and graphic designers to submit their projects for consideration for upcoming awards; visit awards.jamesbeard.org for complete guidelines.


The 2014 jury includes Kristina O’Neal, partner of New York-based AvroKO; Clive Piercy, founder and creative director of Santa Monica, California-based air conditioned design; Los Angeles restaurateur Caroline Styne; designer Adam D. Tihany; and Marion Weiss, cofounder of WEISS/MANFREDI Architecture/Landscape/Urbanism in New York City.
“The design of a restaurant is absolutely essential to the overall experience,” says Tihany. “It is the first impression, a direct extension of the chef, his food and personality. Together, the partnership between design and cuisine create what we understand as dining today.”
Any restaurant or design project that was completed or redone in North America since January 2011 is eligible, and the deadline for entry is January 20th. The Restaurant Design Awards are comprised of two categories: restaurants of 76 seats and over, and restaurants of 75 seats and under. Architecture, interior design, graphic design, and all other design elements will be considered comprehensively in each submission.


“The JBF Design Awards signify our commitment to honoring all aspects of the culinary industry,” says Susan Ungaro, president of the James Beard Foundation. “The judges will be looking for candidates where excellent design is an integral part of the restaurant’s overall concept.”
The nominees will be announced at a breakfast event in Chicago in March, with the winners named at an awards ceremony on May 5th at New York’s Lincoln Center. During the event, which is open to the public, awards for the Restaurant and Chef and Restaurant Design categories will be handed out along with special achievement awards including Humanitarian of the Year, Lifetime Achievement, Who’s Who of Food and Beverage in America, and America’s Classics.
