Winners of the James Beard Foundation Awards

Backstage at the James Beard’s Awards

It was a big night of the culinary world. Monday night the James Beard's Foundation awarded honors to the country's top chefs and restaurants. Here's a look at some of the winners and what was happening behind the scenes.

The James Beard Foundation awards, often dubbed the "Oscars" of the culinary industry, were held Monday night to honor chefs and restaurants across the country.

Chefs say winning the award is an honor because winners are selected by their peers. The awards honor not only outstanding chefs and restaurateurs, but also up and coming chefs and new restaurants that have made an impression on the industry after only a short time on the scene.

Then there are those who have been in the culinary spotlight for years -- the James Beard Foundation honored Chef Wolfgang Puck with a lifetime achievement award.

See a full list of winners below:

NATIONAL CHEF AWARDS
  -- Best new restaurant
  Next in Chicago
  -- Outstanding chef
  Daniel Humm of Eleven Madison Park in New York
  -- Outstanding pastry chef
  Mindy Segal of Mindy's Hot Chocolate in Chicago
  -- Outstanding restaurant
  Boulevard in San Francisco
  -- Outstanding restaurateur
  Tom Douglas of Tom Douglas Restaurants in Seattle
  -- Outstanding service
  La Grenouille in New York
  -- Outstanding wine and spirits professional
  Paul Grieco of Terroir in New York
  -- Outstanding wine program
  No. 9 Park in Boston
  -- Outstanding bar program
  PDT in New York
  -- Rising star chef of the year
  Christina Tosi of Momofuku Milk Bar in New York
  ------
  REGIONAL CHEF AWARDS
  -- Great Lakes
  Bruce Sherman of North Pond in Chicago
  -- Mid-Atlantic
  Maricel Presilla of Cucharamama in Hoboken, N.J.
  -- Midwest
  Tory Miller of L'Etoile in Madison, Wisc.
  -- New York City
  Michael Anthony of Gramercy Tavern in New York
  -- Northeast
  Tim Cushman of O Ya in Boston
  -- Northwest
  Matt Dillon of Sitka & Spruce in Seattle
  -- Pacific
  Matt Molina of Osteria Mozza in Los Angeles
  -- South
  Chris Hastings of Hot and Hot Fish Club in Birmingham, Ala.
  -- Southeast
  Hugh Acheson of Five and Ten in Athens, Ga.
  And
  Linton Hopkins of Restaurant Eugene in Atlanta
  -- Southwest
  Paul Qui of Uchiko in Austin, Texas
  ------
  -- James Beard Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award
  Wolfgang Puck
  -- James Beard Foundation Humanitarian of the Year
  Charlie Trotter
  ------
  James Beard Foundation Who's Who of Food & Beverage in America Inductees
  -- Grant Achatz, chef and author, Chicago
  -- Mark Bittman, journalist and author, New York
  -- Dana Cowin, editor-in-chief at Food and Wine magazine, New York
  -- Emily Luchetti, pastry chef and author, San Francisco
  -- Marvin Shanken, publisher, New York
  ------
  James Beard Foundation America's Classics
  -- The Fry Bread House in Phoenix
  Owner: Cecelia Miller
  -- Nora's Fish Creek Inn in Wilson, Wyo.
  Owners: Nora Tygum, Trace Tygum and Kathryn Tygum Taylor
  -- St. Elmo Steak House in Indianapolis
  Owners: Stephen Huse and Craig Huse
  -- Jones Bar-B-Q Diner in Marianna, Ark.
  Owners: James and Betty Jones
  -- Shady Glen in Manchester, Conn.
  Owners: William and Annette Hoch