Paul Qui of Uchiko in Austin Won the James Beard Award for Best Chef in Southwest Last Night

Last night the James Beard Foundation presented its coveted awards for best chef. Chef Bruno Davaillon of Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek was a finalist for Best Chef Southwest Region, along with Bruce Auden of Biga on the Banks in San Antonio, Kevin Binkley of Binkley's Restaurant in Arizona, Jennifer...

By Lauren Drewes Daniels

May 8, 2012

Audio By Carbonatix

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Last night the James Beard Foundation presented its coveted awards for best chef. Chef Bruno Davaillon of Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek was a finalist for Best Chef Southwest Region, along with Bruce Auden of Biga on the Banks in San Antonio, Kevin Binkley of Binkley's Restaurant in Arizona, Jennifer Jasinski of Rioja in Denver, Hugo Ortega or Hugo's in Houston and Paul Qui, of Uchiko in Austin.

Qui, who won Top Chef Texas season 9, took home the top honors. Last year Qui's mentor, Chef Tyson Cole of Uchi, Uchiko's mother-ship restaurant, also won for best chef of the region. Two James Beard awards for the same outfit in as many years. (For the record, last year Tyson actually tied with Saipin Chutima of Lotus of Siam in Las Vegas.)

Here's to hoping Chef Bruno had good time on his trip to NYC and hit a few of the restaurants we chatted about prior to his trip.

Lauren Drewes Daniels is the food editor of the Dallas Observer. She started working as a freelance writer in 2013 and became editor in 2021. She covers Dallas' evolving dining scene, the many openings and closings as well as trends and breaking news. She oversees annual lists including Top 100 Bars and Top 100 Restaurants and contributes to the Best of Dallas. If you have a tip about an amazing pastry, pie or taco, let her know.

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