The biggest night in food awards has come and gone, and all we got was this unrelated hangover. Oh, and a bunch of awards for Bay Area restaurants.

Yes, last night food and beverage luminaries gathered in New York to celebrate rising stars, old standbys and whatever the culinary equivalent of "Best Kiss" is, and several Bay Area favorites took home "Yummy" the titanium toque medals for excellence.

The first honor of the night was the Rising Star Chef award, which went to transcontinental wundercook Danny Bowien of S.F's (and NYC's) Mission Chinese Food. Bowien and his sizzling lamb beat out Thomas McNaughton of Flour + Water, who's been nominated for the award three times.

State Bird Provisions has scored a lot of panties from food critics, including the Bon Apetít 'Best Restaurant of the Year' nod. The beat went on as SBP took home the award for Best New Restaurant, ensuring yet again that we will never be able to get a table there, ever. The sublime Rich Table was also nominated for the award and will head home emptyhanded.

More hometown champs include Christopher Kostow of The Restaurant at Meadowood, who took home the Best Chef: West honor, beating out talent at Coi, Benu and Incanto. Merry Edwards of Merry Edwards Winery in Sebastopol won for Outstanding Wine, Beer, or Spirits Professional, and Michael Mina got inducted into the Who's Who in Food and Beverage in America, which from what we can tell is not a Pop-Tart museum.

Also going home disappointed are A16 (wine program), Bar Agricole (bar program), Aziza (pastry), Quince and The Restaurant at Meadowood (service).

Congratulations to all the winners and also-rans! No matter how nitpicky the S.F. food scene is, we're proud of you all, especially when it comes to culinary one-upmanship with other cities (and making them cry delicious salty tears, we hope).

Previously: Important Thoughts On the 2013 James Beard Award Nominations.

[Eater]
[JamesBeard.org]