Minnesota finally has a winner at the Oscars of the food world.

Tim McKee of La Belle Vie in Minneapolis was named Best Chef: Midwest at the James Beard Foundation Awards on Monday night in New York City. "It's a great time for Minneapolis," he told the black-tie crowd, referring to fellow Minneapolis nominees Alex Roberts of Restaurant Alma and Isaac Becker of 112 Eatery.

"Women in Food" was the theme of this year's Beard awards -- named after the food writer who died in 1985 -- although most of the awards went to men. Women finished well in the dessert and cookbook categories.

Gina DePalma was named the country's best pastry chef for her work at Babbo in Manhattan; Jennifer McLagan's "Fat: An Appreciation of a Misunderstood Ingredient, With Recipes" won cookbook of the year. Ella Brennan, of the Commander's Palace family of restaurants in New Orleans, was given the lifetime achievement award.

Actor Stanley Tucci and chefs Emeril Lagasse and Cat Cora hosted the ceremony.

OTHER TOP HONORS

Restaurateur: Drew Nieporent, Myriad Restaurant Group, New York

Chef: Dan Barber, Blue Hill, New York

Restaurant: Jean Georges, Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Phil Suarez, New York

Rising Star Chef: Nate Appleman, A16, San Francisco

Outstanding Service: Daniel, Daniel Boulud, New York

REGIONAL CHEF AWARDS

Great Lakes: Michael Symon, Lola, Cleveland

Mid-Atlantic: Jose Garces, Amada, Philadelphia

New York: Gabriel Kreuther, The Modern, New York

Northeast: Rob Evans, Hugo's, Portland, Maine

Northwest: Maria Hines, Tilth, Seattle

Southwest: Paul Bartolotta, Bartolotta Ristorante di Mare at Wynn Las Vegas, Las Vegas

South: John Currence, City Grocery, Oxford, Miss.

Southeast: Mike Lata, Fig, Charleston, S.C.

Pacific: Douglas Keane, Cyrus, Healdsburg, Calif.

To see the full list of winners, www.jamesbeard.org.

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