Alton Brown Will Host The 2015 James Beard Foundation Awards In Chicago

The 2015 James Beard Awards, which will take place in Chicago for the first time in its history after 25 years in New York City, has named Alton Brown as the host for the upcoming awards ceremony in May. 

Semifinalists for the 2015 Restaurant and Chef Awards were announced in February.

Brown, who first presided during the Foundation's awards ceremony in 2012, will return this spring to host the James Beard Awards at the Lyric Opera of Chicago on Monday, May 4.

Brown himself is the recipient of two James Beard Awards for his work as a television host on Food Network's Good Eats and his 2002 cookbook I'm Just Here for the Food. Brown is currently touring around the country for the Alton Brown Live! The Edible Inevitable Tour.

Carla Hall, host of The Chew on ABC and the Foundation's 2015 honoree for its annual Chefs and Champagne party, will host the James Beard Foundation's Book, Broadcast, and Journalism Awards Dinner on Friday, April 24, at Pier Sixty at Chelsea Piers in New York City.

"We are thrilled to have two of television's most influential food personalities host this year's shows, our 25th awards," said Susan Ungaro, president of the James Beard Foundation. "Both Carla and Alton have made impressive contributions to the food world through the years, so they seem the perfect fit to play master of ceremonies as we celebrate all of the culinary achievements made not only by our Foundation, but the wonderful community of food and beverage professionals who have made this past quarter-century great."