As Los Angeles chef Jon Yao received a James Beard award, one of the most significant in the culinary industry, he paid tribute to his city and the immigrants that are so central to its culture but are now living in fear amid the Trump administration’s brutal immigration crackdown.
“Our restaurant – we tell stories, stories of immigrants, diaspora, endurance and perseverance,” Yao said on Monday. “LA is a city built by the toils of immigrant communities and right now those same communities are being ripped apart.”
Yao, the chef of the Michelin-starred Taiwanese restaurant Kato in downtown Los Angeles, was the winner of the best chef: California category. He has previously been a nominee in other categories.
Yao’s win comes as Los Angeles is reeling from a conflict with the Trump administration, with aggressive immigration raids, mass protests against the targeting of immigrants, and the deployment of thousands of national guard members and marines to the area.
The targeting of immigrants has created a deep sense of fear in the region, one that Yao said hits at the heart of its identity. “As the children of immigrants I’m sure many here can imagine a scenario where we couldn’t be here to celebrate this all together,” he said as he collected the award. “But we all deserve the freedom to pursue our dreams, to determine our own futures and to be treated with equal dignity and respect.
Meanwhile a nightly curfew that was in place until Tuesday in a response to the upheaval has hit the restaurant industry hard. The curfew proved challenging for restaurants in downtown Los Angeles, including Kato, which reported significant declines in revenue. The restaurant saw a huge reduction in bookings and estimated $100,000 in losses because of the curfews, a co-owner told SF Gate.
Yao acknowledged his city was going through a “tough time” and said his win was bittersweet but that he was proud to be from Los Angeles and that it “shines a lot on our team, our community”.
He encouraged his colleagues in the industry to use their voice and platform.
“And everyone in this room tonight has the ability and voice to amplify that message through their own stories in their own communities. And I urge all of us to please use that voice and platform.”
