Bacanora’s Andrade wins James Beard Award for Best Chef Southwest

🏅 Congrats to Bacanora chef Rene Andrade, who was named Best Chef Southwest at the 2024 James Beard Awards, known as the ‘‘Oscars of the food and beverage industry.’’ At Monday night’s award show in Chicago, Andrade, who grew up in Nogales, Sonora, gave a shoutout to the cooking of his grandmother. ‘‘I just wanted to be like her,’’ he said. ‘‘She’s a representation of magic to me.’’ Andrade’s award-winning Mexican restaurant previously was one of five Beard Award finalists for Best New Restaurant in 2022. Another Phoenix chef, Crystal Kass of Valentine, was one of five finalists this year for the country’s Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker, an award won by Atsuko Fujimoto of Norimoto Bakery in Portland, Maine.