An Orlando sushi chef has been nominated as the Best Chef in the South by a prestigious foundation.
The James Beard Foundation announced its 2023 Restaurant and Chef Awards finalists on Wednesday, March 29. Among the awards was Best Chef of the South, which recognizes outstanding performance amongst chefs in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Missouri, and Puerto Rico.
Among the finalists is Henry Moso, who is the head chef and owner of Kabooki Sushi in Orlando. Born and raised in Laos, Moso came to the United States when he was 15-years-old and worked at his mothers restaurants in Florida. He opened Kabooki at the age of 22 and currently operates two restaurant locations on East Colonial Drive and Sand Lake Road. Moso is competing against four other finalists from all across the south.
Earlier this year, brothers Jimmy and John Tung, who founded the Bento Asian Kitchen chain of restaurants over 20 years ago, were nominated as outstanding restaurateur for establishments that include Bento, Doshi, and Camille.
Moso’s achievement follows a year of accumulating accolades across the Orlando restaurant scene. In June, four Orlando restaurants were awarded a Michelin Star, while multiple others were recognized with Bib Gourmand awards.
Established in 1990, the James Beard Foundation’s Restaurant and Chef Awards are considered among the nation’s most prestigious honors, recognizing exceptional talent in the culinary and food media industries.
In March, nominees will be announced and in June, the awards ceremony will be held in Chicago, Illinois. For more information on the finalists or other award categories, visit the James Beard Foundation Awards website.