Acheson and Hopkins Tie for Best Southeastern Chef

[Photo via James Beard Foundation]

Let's face it: everyone in Atlanta knew that one of our own would be named Best Southeastern Chef at the James Beard Foundation Awards last night. Hugh Acheson and Linton Hopkins were both up for the medal, and in a surprising turn of events, the chefs tied for the honor, ending their multi-year nomination streaks.

It was the second 2012 JBF Award for Acheson, whose book took Best American Cookbook Friday night. Yesterday, he won for cooking at Five & Ten in Athens, while Hopkins got the prize for Atlanta's Restaurant Eugene. Food writer Alison Cook tweeted, "Beard moment: Hugh Acheson and Linton Hopkins, tied for Best Chef SE, looked genuinely pleased to be onstage together," and the AJC's John Kessler reported that Hopkins was "thrilled with the outcome because it underscores the camaraderie among chefs. 'This is a collaborative business,' he said. 'In a sense there should be more ties.'"
· It's a Tie! Hopkins and Acheson Both Win Beards [AJC]
· Alison Cook [Twitter]
· Acheson and Edge Take James Beard Foundation Awards [-EATL-]