Sacramento’s first James Beard Award finalist was just announced. See who
He joins four others vying for the title of “Best Chef: California.” Kru Contemporary Japanese Cuisine partner, Billy Ngo, has been announced as a finalist for the James Beard Award category "Best Chef: California," marking the first time no Sacramento chef has reached this level. Ngo was named a semifinalist in January and advanced to the final round alongside four other notable chefs: Geoff Davis of Burdell (Oakland), Rogelio Garcia of Auro, Lord Maynard Llera of Kuya Lord (Los Angeles), and Tara Monsod of Animae (San Diego). The award winners will be announced at a ceremony in Chicago on June 10.
Published : a month ago by Benjy Egel in Lifestyle
Kru Contemporary Japanese Cuisine partner Billy Ngo was announced Wednesday morning as a finalist for the James Beard Award category “Best Chef: California,” a distinction no Sacramento chef has reached before.
Named a semifinalist in January, Ngo advanced to the final round alongside four other luminaries: Geoff Davis of Burdell (Oakland), Rogelio Garcia of Auro (Calistoga), Lord Maynard Llera of Kuya Lord (Los Angeles) and Tara Monsod of Animae (San Diego).
All restaurant and chef award winners will be announced June 10 at a ceremony in Chicago.
The James Beard Awards, nicknamed “the Oscars of the food world,” have increasingly recognized Sacramento chefs and restaurants in recent years. Craig Takehara of Binchoyaki and Chris Barnum-Dann of Localis were semifinalists for “Best Chef: California” in 2023 and 2022 respectively, while Paragary’s reached the same round for the nationwide “Outstanding Restaurant” category in 2022.
Frank Fat’s also won an “America’s Classic Award” in 2013, recognizing the downtown Sacramento institution’s decades of influence since opening in 1939. But no modern chef had made it to a finalist round before Ngo on Wednesday morning.
Born in a Hong Kong refugee camp, Ngo immigrated as an infant and grew up in south Sacramento. He began washing dishes at now-closed Broadway restaurant Fuji while attending Valley High School, then bounced around area restaurants after graduation.
He enrolled in the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco, returned home to work at The Kitchen under Randall Selland and opened Kru in midtown Sacramento a week before his 24th birthday. Nearly 20 years later, it’s moved a much larger East Sacramento restaurant at 3135 Folsom Blvd. with a private-access dining room rumored to be frequented by visiting celebrities.
While Ngo still prepares sushi at Kru a few days per week, he’s also opened downtown basement hotspot Kodaiko Ramen & Bar and R Street Corridor hangout Fish Face Poke Bar. Kru items can also be found in Elk Grove’s Sky River Casino, and along with Kodaiko, at The Line ghost kitchen in East Sacramento.
Ngo’s next project will be Chu Mai, a Chinese-Vietnamese tribute to his late mother opening at 1717 S St. in late summer. He’s partnered with local chef Tyler Bond and former Kodaiko general manager Michael Ng.
Topics: Food & Drink