Oklahoma’s food scene continues to rise in the culinary ranks, with one 2025 winner and four finalists for the prestigious James Beard Award.
Cat Cox of Country Bird Bakery in Tulsa, Oklahoma took home the honor of Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker. Following Florence’s Restaurant and Chef Andrew Black, she is the third Oklahoman to win the award.
Oklahoma finalists for the James Beard Award included:
- Lisa Becklund, FarmBar, Tulsa, OK — Outstanding Chef
- Nonesuch, Oklahoma City, OK — Outstanding Restaurant
- Olivier Bouzerand, Fait Maison, Edmond, OK — Best Chef: Southwest
- Zack Walters, Sedalia’s Oyster & Seafood, Oklahoma City — Best Chef: Southwest
Oklahoma also stood out in the industry with three semifinalists for Best Chef: Southwest — Tahnee Francis of Naija Wife Kitchen, Eric Smith of The Crown, and Kevin Lee of Birdie’s. Ian Bennett of Oklahoma City’s The Study was also a semifinalist for Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service, along with Elliot Nelson of McNellie’s Group for Outstanding Restauranteur and Tulsa’s Noche Woodfired Grill for Best New Restaurant.
From fine dining meccas to handcrafted sourdough to Bon Appétit-approved Asian cuisine, Oklahoma’s dining scene has quickly evolved into a national destination for food lovers.
More importantly, culinary excellence is now part of Oklahoma’s quality of life. From neighborhood brunches to elevated nights out, award-winning meals are part of an average day in Oklahoma. It also signals growing economic opportunity: chefs attract diners, diners support local farms and service jobs, and before long, you’ve got entire neighborhoods thriving on reputation.
For people looking for a lifestyle that doesn’t cost a premium, Oklahoma is takes the cake as a place where the spice of life isn’t a luxury. It’s the expectation.
