Chefs, restaurateurs and industry notables gathered Saturday in Chicago to celebrate eight culinary trailblazers honored with 2025 MenuMasters awards.
The chain and independent restaurant winners, chosen by Nation’s Restaurant News, Restaurant Business’ sister brand at Informa Connect, were recognized for menu innovation and culinary excellence. Although individual awards were handed out, all the recipients acknowledged that menu development is truly a team effort.
Dominique Crenn, chef-owner of the three-Michelin star Atelier Crenn and Bar Crenn in San Francisco, was inducted into the MenuMasters Hall of Fame in recognition of her decades-long career advocating for innovation, sustainability and equality in the restaurant industry.
Although a personal matter kept Crenn from attending, she shared a statement, expressing how humbled she was to receive the honor and thanked every farmer, forager and guest who has stood with her through the years. Celeb chefs including Maneet Chauhan, Lidia Bastianich, David Burke and Richard Blais offered their congratulations and support via video.
Renowned Chicago chef Curtis Duffy was named MenuMasters 2025 Innovator, an award that recognizes a culinary trendsetter who has raised the standard for menu and concept development. Duffy is currently the chef-owner of Ever, a Michelin-starred tasting menu restaurant he opened during the pandemic, as well as After, a more casual lounge.
Duffy thanked his team for their “fortitude, grit and passion that allows him to stand on the stage and accept the MenuMasters award.”
Brian Paquette, director of culinary for Chili’s, said “innovation doesn’t come in a vacuum,” as he accepted the Best New Menu Item Award for the Nashville Hot Mozz—the top-selling viral cheese pull that garnered more than 200 million views on TikTok. He thanked the fryer guy—the kitchen station that cooks hundreds of the cheesy items a night—and Chili’s chief purchasing officer, who had to figure out how to get enough cheese to satisfy demand.
Wendell Young, a chef on Chili’s culinary team, told Restaurant Business that they played around with the Nashville Hot Mozz for two years before it was ready for the menu.
Becky Davis, director of culinary innovation for Wendy’s, reiterated how the R&D process can seem never-ending, when she accepted the award for Best Line Extension for the chain’s Saucy Nuggs. She and the Wendy’s team developed seven flavor combinations and four distinct sauces “but it isn’t real until you see it work in the restaurants,” she said, and for that the kitchen team had to thank the operations team.
The Best Limited-Time Offer award went to Fuzzy’s Taco Shop for its three Baja California-inspired items: Cali-Style Steak Taco, Cali-Style Steak Burrito and Birria Queso Fries. Director of Culinary Daniel Camp said the team traveled to San Diego for inspiration. “We wanted to create something that was different from what everyone else was doing,” he said of the three items, which took the fast casual outside its culinary comfort zone.
True Food Kitchen received the MenuMasters award for Healthful Innovation for the chain’s True Crisp’d Chicken. The air-fried, gluten-free chicken tenders are also seed oil-free. Chef Matthew Padilla spent over a year developing a tasty fried chicken tender that would fit with True Food Kitchen’s ethos and ingredient standards.
Best Menu Revamp went to Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant. The casual dining chain slashed its menu in half while adding 11 new items, upgrading flavor profiles and ingredients. For example, chili crisp oil amped up the flavor of Chili Crunch Chicken Lettuce Wraps and a cilantro aioli dipping sauce and orange-horseradish marmalade elevates fried calamari. Director of culinary Brendan Mullen gave credit to the restaurants’ executive chefs “who helped him get there.”
Alexandra Lourdes won the Digital Innovation Award. The restaurateur, social media expert and PhD leveraged her experience to build a marketing agency and the Refined Restaurant Group, which now operates several concepts, including Pizza Anonymous, LolaXO and 3 Little Chicks. “Don’t be afraid to share your story,” she told the audience of restaurateurs as she accepted the award. “It builds trust.”
The 2025 MenuMasters Award winners developed a custom menu exclusively for the celebration, collaborating with each other and culinary students at Johnson & Wales in Providence, Rhode Island. Attendees enjoyed small plates including Super Food Tamales with mushroom duxelles and deconstructed Beef Wellingtons. The event was sponsored by Ventura Foods, the company that has supported the MenuMasters awards and gala for 28 years.
Members help make our journalism possible. Become a Restaurant Business member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.