Las Vegas chef Jamie Tran doesn’t win James Beard Award

After nearly four months of anticipation in Las Vegas food circles, acclaimed local chef Jamie Tran was not named best chef in the Southwest category of the 2022 James Beard Awards. The announcement was made Monday evening at a gala celebration at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.

Tran owns and operates Black Sheep, an Asian-inspired eatery in the southwest Las Vegas Valley.

She was in fierce competition against four highly respected chefs from Arizona and New Mexico. The award went to Fernando Olea of Sazón in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

For Best Chef, Southwest: Fernando Olea, Sazón in Santa Fe #jbfa

— James Beard Foundation (@beardfoundation) June 14, 2022

In late February, Tran was named a semifinalist for the regional best chef award alongside Gina Marinelli (La Strega, Harlo Steakhouse & Bar) and Aibin Xing (Big Dan Shanxi Taste).

Contact Greg Thilmont at gthilmont@reviewjournal.com. Follow @gregthilmont on Instagram.