The James Beard Foundation named Chef Koji Yoshida from Plano’s Ebesu Robata & Sushi one of 20 semifinalists for the organization’s best chef in Texas award. This marked the first year that a Dallas area suburban restaurant was nominated for a Beard Award. Roots Southern Table in Farmers Branch and Richardson’s La Casita Bakeshop in Richardson also garnered recognition this time around.
The James Beard Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to celebrating and supporting independent restaurants across the country. Its award program was established in 1990 to recognized outstanding culinary professionals in different regions across the country. Texas received its own regional designation in 2019 after previously being lumped in with the larger southwest region.
Ebesu opened on 15th Street in downtown Plano in 2019. It features an eclectic array of Japanese cuisine.
Beard Award finalists will be revealed on March 16, with the winner announced in June.
