The winners of the James Beard Foundation’s Outstanding Restaurant Design Awards were announced at a ceremony on Monday evening (2 May) in Chicago.

Design studios Renzo Piano Building Workshop, Demian Repucci Design and Land and Sea Dept were judged to have created the best restaurant designs or renovations in North America in the past three years.

The first two practices tied for first place in the category for restaurants with 75 seats and under.

Renzo Piano Building Workshop were honoured for their Untitled restaurant at New York’s recently opened Whitney Museum of American Art, created in collaboration with fellow firms Cooper Robertson and Bentel & Bentel. Demian Repucci Design won for their restaurant Bruno, also in New York.

Land and Sea Dept were top in the category for restaurants with 76 seats and over for their homely design of the Cherry Circle Room in Chicago.

The winners overcame firm competition from several other nominated designers.

Finally, the James Beard Foundation presented its first ever Design Icon Award – which celebrates “a national standard bearer of outstanding design and design innovation” – to The Four Seasons restaurant in New York, which opened in 1959.

Architect James Biber, chair of the Restaurant Design Awards Committee, said: "In introducing generations of diners to modern elegance and luxury, The Four Seasons forever changed restaurant design, even as it remained virtually unchanged itself.”

Established in 1990, the James Beard Awards celebrate, nurture and honour America’s diverse culinary heritage. Its awards ceremony, known in the industry as “the Oscars for food”, also honours the restaurant and chef of the year.

This year’s awards show took place in Chicago’s Lyric Opera theatre, and was hosted by TV personality, chef and restaurateur Carla Hall.

Chefs at the gala served dishes inspired by their favourite television shows and characters, and shared their cuisine with nearly 2,000 attendees.