Kaya co-owner Jamilyn Salonga-Bailey said many things upon hearing that the restaurant had been named a finalist in the 2024 James Beard Foundation’s Restaurant and Chef Awards. She also screamed. Twice.
“It’s amazing,” Salonga-Bailey said of the announcement which came this morning amid 22 other categories. Theirs, Best New Restaurant, is particularly meaningful to her and her partner, Executive Chef Lordfer Lalicon, whose restaurant now holds the distinction of being Orlando’s first James Beard Award finalist in a national category.
Rooted in kapwa – connection, Kaya is Orlando Sentinel Restaurant of the Year
“It really allows us to celebrate our whole team,” Salonga-Bailey told the Orlando Sentinel, “not just the people who work at Kaya every day, but the farmers, the fisherfolk, all the people who contribute to what shows up at the table and what guests experience inside the restaurant.”
Being one of 10 that made the cut in this exciting, one-shot category, says Lalicon, makes this announcement even more joyous than the one that landed them in the semifinals back in January.
“This is my restaurant, my baby. It means a lot to my family and says a lot about the vision and what I believe in,” he said. “But for the staff, who comes here and works hard every day for not very much, it gives them something to put on their resumes — and even better, another great reason to stay, to believe in what we do.”
The James Beard Foundation’s Restaurant and Chef Awards — established in 1990 and first awarded in 1991 — is one of five separate recognition programs of the awards. This awards program celebrates excellence across a range of experiences — from fine-dining establishments to casual gems, and emerging talents to established luminaries.
According to the Beard Foundation, the Best New Restaurant category is for restaurants that opened between October 1, 2022 and September 30, 2023, that already demonstrate excellence in cuisine, seem likely to make a significant impact in years to come and demonstrate consistent excellence in food, atmosphere, hospitality and operations, while contributing positively to its broader community.
“The [2024 nominees are] an exceptional list of culinary leaders and teams whose unique contributions greatly enrich our industry and broader food culture,” Restaurant and Chef Committee Co-Chairs Lauren Saria and Allecia Vermillion said in a press release.
Behind the host stand at Kaya is a commissioned piece by Filipina artist Kristina Corre in which a group of people carry a bahay kubo — a Filipino home. It emanates the essence of the restaurant’s core values, which include bayanihan.
“We work hard to create an environment where our guests feel comfortable, excited, satisfied,” says Salonga-Bailey. “It’s an honor to be able to celebrate all of us together, because it really takes every single one of us, together, to carry the house.”
Winners will be celebrated at the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards ceremony Monday, June 10, at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.
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