Eastern PA Chef Wins Prestigious James Beard Award

PHILADELPHIA — Phila Lorn of Philadelphia's Mawn was honored at Monday’s James Beard Foundation Awards ceremony at the Lyric Opera in Chicago.

The awards, regarded as the Academy Awards of the U.S. restaurant industry, honor excellence across a range of categories, from fine dining to casual gems.

Lorn won the Emerging Chef award Monday. This award is given to chefs who display "exceptional talent, character, and leadership ability, and who is likely to make a significant impact in years to come."

Mawn specializes in Cambodian food, with a focus on noodles. Its menu also features steak, fried chicken, whole fish, salads, and more.

The Bella Vista restaurants touts 4.8 stars on Google from 354 reviews.

2025 is the 35th anniversary of the prestigious culinary awards that recognize eateries and chefs who create exceptional food, food media content, and better food systems, according to the James Beard Foundation. Awards also recognize a demonstrated commitment to racial and gender equity, community, sustainability, and a culture where all can thrive.

This year in celebration of the pivotal anniversary, the 2025 Restaurant and Chef Awards were presented across 25 categories, with an expanded focus on beverages, introducing three new categories: Best New Bar, Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service, and Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service.

Other categories include outstanding restaurateur, outstanding chef, outstanding restaurant, emerging chef, best new restaurant, outstanding bakery, outstanding pastry chef or baker, outstanding hospitality, outstanding wine and other beverages program, outstanding bar and best chef.

Other Philadelphia restaurants and chefs were named semifinalists earlier this year were:

• Greg Vernick, Vernick Fish, Philadelphia — Outstanding Chef
• Kalaya, Philadelphia — Outstanding Restaurant
• Machine Shop, Philadelphia — Outstanding Bakery
• Abigail Dahan, Provenance, Philadelphia — Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker
• Little Fish, Philadelphia — Outstanding Hospitality
• Càphê Roasters, Philadelphia — Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program
• The Lovers Bar at Friday Saturday Sunday, Philadelphia — Outstanding Bar
• Kampar Kongsi, Philadelphia — Best New Bar
• Juan Carlos Aparicio, El Chingon, Philadelphia — Best Chef, Mid-Atlantic (DC, DE, MD, NJ, PA, VA)
• Yun Fuentes, Bolo, Philadelphia — Best Chef, Mid-Atlantic
• Anthony Andiario, Andiario, West Chester — Best Chef, Mid-Atlantic
• Jesse Ito, Royal Sushi & Izakaya, Philadelphia — Best Chef, Mid-Atlantic
• Amanda Shulman, Her Place Supper Club, Philadelphia — Best Chef, Mid-Atlantic