Chef Grant Achatz wins top James Beard award

Grant Achatz of the Chicago restaurant Alinea, who last year overcame a mouth cancer that threatened his life and his ability to taste, was named the country's outstanding chef Sunday night at the 18th James Beard Foundation Awards in New York.

Wine service: Eleven Madison Park, New York.

Wine/spirits professional: Terry Theise, Estate Selections, Silver Spring, Md.

Great Lakes region chef: Carrie Nahabedian, Naha, Chicago.

New York chef: David Chang, Momofuku Ssäm Bar, New York.

Southwest chef: Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson, Frasca Food and Wine, Boulder, Colo.

Mid-Atlantic chef: Eric Ziebold, CityZen, Washington, D.C.

Northeast chef: Patrick Connolly, Radius, Boston.

South chef: Michelle Bernstein, Michy's, Miami

Pacific chef: Craig Stoll, Delfina, San Francisco

Midwest chef: Adam Siegel, Bartolotta's Lake Park Bistro, Milwaukee

Northwest chef: Holly Smith, Café Juanita, Kirkland, Wash.

Southeast chef: Robert Stehling, Hominy Grill, Charleston, S.C.