Jesse Tyler Ferguson will host the JBF Awards Gala.
The 2017 James Beard Foundation Awards, set to take place Monday, May 1 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, will be hosted by Emmy Award-nominated actor Jesse Tyler Ferguson.
The Foundation’s Awards, which have been referred to by Time magazine as the “Oscars of the food world,” celebrates the best that the food world has to offer. Semifinalists were recently chosen and will be whittled down to the final nominees on March 15. Included in the list of awards are Outstanding Baker and Outstanding Pastry Chef, whose semifinalists can be viewed here. For a full list of awards and semifinalists, go to the Foundation’s website.
Jesse Tyler Ferguson not only is an accomplished actor and star of the hit ABC comedy Modern Family, but is also passionate about the food world. He runs a personal food blog which features a variety of unique recipes developed to encourage a healthy lifestyle.
In addition to the Food Awards, the James Beard Foundation also holds an annual Food Media Awards. This year, that event will be hosted by former James Beard Award winner, chef, and television personality Andrew Zimmern. Zimmern is the creator and producer of the Bizarre Foods franchise on the Travel Channel. The Media Awards will take place Tuesday, April 25 at Pier Sixty at Chelsea Piers in New York City.
Andrew Zimmern will host the James Beard Media Awards.
“We’re delighted to have Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Andrew Zimmern as hosts for this year's awards," says Susan Ungaro, president of the James Beard Foundation. "Just as technology is able to connect people through a shared love of food, Jesse and Andrew have combined their own personal passions for food with their unique talents, whether it be through television, in a blog post, on stage, or on the plate."
The theme of this year’s events is “Powered by Food,” which will celebrate the thrilling ways that technology has strengthened our connections through food, from the blog post that sparks a trend, to the Instagram that inspires us, and the shared images that become our portal to cuisine from far afield.
