By: Jingwei Zhao

Over the past decade, immigrants from different continents across the world have moved to America, and they are revolutionizing the way food is made in the country. Chef Chuatip Suntaranon came from the city of Trang in southern Thailand, and she owns the Kalayla diner in Philadelphia, and the journey of southern Thai cooking started four years ago. “I grew up helping my mom making curry paste to sell in her little shop in the market,” said Suntaranon, “so I knew all that recipe by heart.” She presents his food with authenticity, following the recipes of her roots.

However, he is not the only chef from abroad. For a long time, immigrants have been introducing their own cultural recipes. Now, they are finally the long-awaiting recognition that they deserve. The James Beard Foundation awards have been given out, and over half of the 75 finalists were immigrants from all over the world.

Rather than rejecting the immigrant food styles, Americans have wholeheartedly embraced these new tasty dishes. At Kayala, Suntaranon explains to his mother, “I make what we eat at home, and she sometimes asked me, ‘did farang like it?’ ” using the Thai word that translates roughly as foreigner. “’Can farang eat spicy?’ And I said, ‘you will be surprised!'”

In previous years, the James Beard awards lacked diversity of their winners, so they have made race and gender equality a priority. Last year, Cristina Martinez, an advocate for immigrant rights, was one winner. The Outstanding Chef was awarded to Mashama Bailey of The Grey, a Southern restaurant in Savannah. Due to their already good food, and now with the new focus of diversity in the contestants, it was no surprise that more immigrants won awards.

Now, immigrants are changing the appetites of others from different cultural backgrounds. For this year’s James Beard awards, contestants include Lebanese chefs as well as Laotian and Peruvian restaurants. One of the award nominees this year includes Veronika Gerasimova, the sole owner and employee of her unique pastry shop in Billings, Montana, and she combines different flavors from countries across Europe.

Many consumers find themselves trying out new dishes. Other people from all over the world fuse themselves with their culture and cuisines. 29-year-old chef Serigne Mbaye grew up in Senegal and has been a finalist for Best Emerging Chef at his restaurant Dakar NOLA in New Orleans. His food “explores the culinary connections between West Africa and the southern U.S,” according to the Los Angeles Times, and he is glad to see the recognition of immigrant chefs coming into America. Mbaye believes, “People cannot deny our existence, you know? It’s great that it’s happening now. But I think that it should have been happening for years.”