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The 2024 James Beard Awards celebrated diverse culinary talents, with winners showcasing a global array of flavors and cultures. Highlights include Dakar NOLA winning Best New Restaurant for its modern Senegalese menu, Langbaan in Portland, Oregon taking Outstanding Restaurant for its Thai cuisine, and Michael Rafidi of Albi in Washington, DC being named Outstanding Chef for his innovative Arabic dishes. The awards recognized emerging chefs like Masako Morishita and honored restaurants from smaller towns, reflecting a shift towards inclusivity and regional diversity in American gastronomy.
Dakar NOLA’s modern Senegalese twist sounds amazing, and Langbaan’s Thai dishes must be incredible. Congrats to Michael Rafidi for his creative Arabic cuisine too! It’s awesome to see so much diversity and talent being recognized. 
Michael Rafidi’s take on Arabic cuisine must be out of this world, and I’m already dreaming about those Senegalese and Thai flavors—so exciting to see such rich cultural representation!