Stanley Tucci To Host James Beard Awards

Perhaps we can get all the James Beard finalists to compete in a cook-off to the death à la The Hunger Games? The James Beard Foundation has announced that Stanley Tucci will be hosting the awards ceremony on May 6, 2013, and all jokes aside, we're pretty psyched.

The theme for this year's festivities is reportedly "Lights! Camera! Taste! Spotlight on Food & Film." "We'll be highlighting iconic culinary scenes in cinema throughout our Awards festivities," the JBF blog says, which makes us think there might be a Goodfellas shout-out during the night. Tucci, it turns out, is the perfect host, as he's portrayed a lovable Paul Child in Julie & Julia, opposite the extremely lovable Meryl Streep. He also released The Tucci Cookbook last October.

In related news, chefs confirmed to cook at the Gala Reception include none other than Grant Achatz from The Aviary, Thomas McNaughton from Flour + Water and Central Kitchen, Mindy Segal from Mindy's Hot Chocolate, and Christina Tosi from Momofuku Milk Bar. In the meantime, Ted Allen will once again host the Book, Broadcast, and Journalism Awards Dinner on May 3.