Asheville, NC — Explore Asheville is excited to announce it will host the James Beard Foundation’s Chef Action Summit from April 6-8, 2025. Asheville was chosen for its vibrant food scene, its standing as a hub for climate science, and its resilience in the wake of Hurricane Helene. The summit will bring together over 200 chefs, advocates and industry leaders to drive meaningful policies for a sustainable and equitable food system.
“In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Asheville’s independent restaurants showed us what resilience, tenacity, and resourcefulness truly mean—and that’s precisely the spirit we need to transform our food system,” said Clare Reichenbach, CEO, James Beard Foundation. “We’re grateful to Explore Asheville for championing our Good Food for Good mission by supporting this year’s Chef Action Summit, and thrilled to bring culinary leaders to this inspiring city as we train and mobilize our community towards a more sustainable and equitable food future.”
The event will feature alumni from the James Beard Foundation’s Chef Bootcamp for Policy and Change and wider Impact Programs, James Beard Award winners and nominees, and industry leaders from the culinary, hospitality, nonprofit, and corporate sectors. Attendees will participate in three days of immersive sessions on policymaking, advocacy, and storytelling to address critical issues facing the independent restaurant industry and broader food system.
Asheville, celebrated for its rich food culture and independent restaurant scene, is also home to over 20 James Beard Award-nominated and winning chefs and NOAA’s global climate database. Its unique blend of culinary excellence and climate expertise makes it the ideal host for a summit.
“We’re honored that Asheville was selected to host the Chef Action Summit, uniting our community’s culinary and climate leaders in the wake of Hurricane Helene,” said Vic Isley, President & CEO of Explore Asheville and the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority. “This timely and forward-looking event is a testament to Asheville’s reputation as a culinary capital and a hub for global climate science. We are proud to host the James Beard Foundation and thought leaders from across the country, driving more than $200,000 in direct spending in our community when our businesses need it most and fostering conversations to shape meaningful policy for the future.”
“You don’t get into the hospitality industry as a career unless you love the feeling of feeding people. Now, watching disasters like Hurricane Helene and the wildfires in California, we’re seeing restaurants are often one of the first to respond – feeding their communities.” Chef Katie Button, James Beard Foundation Chef Bootcamp alumna and founder of the James Beard Award-winning restaurant Cúrate in Asheville, said. “Now is the time for action and problem-solving, and hosting the Chef Action Summit here in Asheville helps spotlight the issue communities across the globe are facing in terms of food access and resilience.”
2025 James Beard Award Semifinalist for Outstanding Chef William Dissen, owner of Asheville’s The Market Place and an early participant in the James Beard Foundation’s Chef Bootcamp, emphasized the summit’s significance. “Chefs have the power to shape their communities by choosing what goes on their menus,” Dissen said. “To be a leader in your community, you have to use your voice and you have to give back.”
Now in its third iteration, the James Beard Foundation’s Chef Action Summit is a biennial event focused on leveraging the collective influence of chefs and food leaders to tackle critical issues in our food system, including climate change and sustainability, restaurant industry support, and hunger and nutrition. Participants will explore ways to leverage their voices and platforms to drive lasting change in their kitchens and beyond.
Further details, including featured speakers and topics, will be announced soon. For more information about the summit, including registration details, please visit www.jamesbeard.org/2025-chef-summit.
About the James Beard Foundation
The James Beard Foundation (JBF) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit dedicated to leading chefs and the broader culinary industry towards a new standard of excellence. Our guiding principle, Good Food for Good®, informs our vision of a vibrant, equitable, and sustainable independent restaurant industry that stands as a cornerstone of American culture, community and economy, and drives towards a better food system. For nearly 40 years, JBF has been instrumental in recognizing, amplifying, educating, and training the individuals who shape American food culture. Today, our mission comes to life through the prestigious James Beard Awards, industry and community-focused programming, advocacy and policy initiatives, and exciting culinary events and partnerships around the country—including at our new Platform by JBF® event space in New York City. Learn more at jamesbeard.org, sign up for our emails, and follow @beardfoundation on social media
About Explore Asheville and The Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority
Explore Asheville is the official destination marketing and management organization for one of the most deeply rooted and creative destinations in the mountains of western North Carolina. Explore Asheville is powered by the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority, a public authority that has been investing in and building community since 1983. The authority has committed $96 million in grants to more than 50 community projects as well as more than $1.5 million in grants through the Always Asheville Fund to more than 300 small travel and hospitality businesses to reopen in the wake of Hurricane Helene.
