Chef Oscar Johnson Dishes on Being a James Beard Award Nominee

Food Can Bring People Together

Chef Oscar Johnson - James Beard 2024 Semifinalist for Best Chef: Southeast

Gastronomic delights come in many forms. Champagne and caviar might be your special occasion go-to. But sometimes, chicken gizzards and stewed greens are what you crave. 

Chef Oscar Johnson of Jimmy Pearls in Charlotte is an expert on the latter. Johnson, named Chef of the Year in 2022 by the N.C. Restaurant and Lodging Association, was a James Beard Award semifinalist in 2024 for Best Chef in the Southeast.

Established in 1990, the James Beard Awards are among America’s most prestigious culinary industry honors. It’s about more than taste, presentation and service. Nominees must also demonstrate “a commitment to equity, community, sustainability and a culture where all can thrive,” according to the James Beard website.

The awards are named for James Beard (1903 – 1985), the late chef, cookbook author and teacher. A celebrity chef before the term was coined, he loved using – and promoting – fresh, wholesome ingredients.

Those are the ingredients favored by Johnson and his business partner, Daryl Cooper. The Hampton Roads, Virginia natives sought to elevate the humble cuisine they were raised on. The Beard nomination confirms they’re succeeding. 

Proving that food doesn’t have to be fancy to be delicious, Johnson and Cooper celebrate the rich African American food traditions they grew up on.

We talked to Johnson about his background, the state of the industry and what being a James Beard Award semifinalist has meant to him. Responses have been lightly edited.

Your style of cooking has been described as “Afro-Southern” and “Tidewater.” What are some elements of that cuisine? 

First, a little background: Virginia has a rich culinary history. The Chesapeake Bay region, which stretches from Virginia to New York, is known for its coastal landscape and rural areas. When slaves were brought there, they brought their foodways with them. My partner, Daryl, and I pull our inspiration from historical and family traditions.

There are certain dishes that just taste like home to me. Yock-a-mein, for example – which translates to “box of noodles” – is a dish Chinese immigrants introduced to the region when they settled in the early 1920s. It’s a dish that lets you use what you have on hand, starting with chicken broth and noodles. (I recommend the Fiber Foods brand – or any Tidewater Virginia brand – of yock noodles.) 

African Americans began adapting the dish with soy sauce, diced onion, cayenne pepper, hot sauce, ketchup. The African-American community became entwined with Chinese take-out spots; there was a direct connection between those two minority groups. Cities didn’t give Chinese immigrants access to prime real estate. So, you had Chinese restaurants in shopping centers in lower-income neighborhoods.

Tell me about Jimmy Pearls.
We started in a restaurant incubator space (at Seventh Street Station) with counter service. Now, we’re just doing pop-ups, including a food truck at Free Range Brewing in NoDa on Fridays and Saturdays. We have a regular menu with our fish sandwich, fried shrimp and crab cakes, plus a few items that aren’t seafood.

Daryl and I have talked about opening another restaurant, but plans are on the back burner for now. When I look at the local talent pool – it’s tough. There’s a lot that goes into keeping those doors open.

Some people romanticized this industry, but COVID blew that up. COVID shut down a lot of restaurants and opened restaurant workers’ eyes to the quality of life they deserve, but were lacking – paid time off, health insurance. The workforce began to see they weren’t being compensated the way they deserved.

Tell me about the James Beard Award nomination process.

The nomination caught us by surprise. We didn’t have a vision board with “James Beard nominee” written on it. This was nothing we had mapped out. We got the phone call and started getting texts and messages on social media.

It was definitely an exciting time. Business picked up for us big time – literally on the day the nomination was announced. We’ve always tried to offer great food and a great experience. That’s what we’d been doing, and we just kept doing it. So, it was business as usual, but busier.

Ever since we started five years ago, we’ve been building relationships. And those relationships have turned into opportunities and put us in front of some very important people who have helped propel Jimmy Pearls to the next phase. Some of those people are previous James Beard Award winners and semifinalists – authors, chefs, mixologists and hospitality professionals. They’ve helped increase our visibility.

How does judging work?

There are secret shoppers, but there are also people from the regional committee who come in unannounced. You never know who’s going to come to your establishment, so you’d better make sure things are always tight. That’s been our philosophy from the beginning.

James Beard nominations used to go to fancy, white-tablecloth restaurants. But they recognize there’s more to the food scene than high-end cuisine. Now, you have barbecue pitmasters and bottle shops being nominated. What are your thoughts on that?
The James Beard folks are going about this in a genuine way. They take the time to get to know who the chefs are and what the restaurant is about. They’re looking beyond the plate of food in front of them.

That makes sense because you might spend 10, 15, 30 minutes eating, and then the moment’s gone. But when someone greets you, asks about your day, and connects with you on some level, that’s what helps make the experience memorable.

I like that they’re honoring people who aren’t just making great food – but are impacting their community. Food can bring people together – and it doesn’t have to be fancy.

It’s great that they’ve gone outside the traditional Michelin star type of establishment. Think of your favorite hotdog cart. The guy who’s been on the corner for 20 years, who knows your name and how you like your hotdog – he deserves to be recognized, too. 

What does a James Beard nomination signal to the public?
A James Beard nomination – or any type of recognition – says: This establishment deserves your support.

It’s a great honor. But it hasn’t changed anything about how we operate. Inflation is a thing; people aren’t dining out as much. We have to offer great value and a great experience every single time.

What’s your idea of the perfect meal? And I mean to eat – not to cook.

Something simple, yet carefully prepared. Something that takes you back to a nostalgic place, something that makes you think of family. Food has the power to transport you to a happy place.

Spaghetti is one of my personal favorites. A big plate of spaghetti with meat sauce can calm my spirit and feed my soul.

What are your favorite foods to cook?
The meal I haven’t prepared yet.

At home, I'm always coming up with some new recipe or approach to try out on my wife and kids. I like to surprise people. I love working with new ingredients. And even if I work with the same ingredients over and over, I’m always trying to figure out a different preparation.

I’m blessed to know many people from different cultural backgrounds who share their stories, ingredients, techniques. I love the give and take between people who love to cook and love to eat.

Who are some other chefs in Charlotte you respect?

Oh, my goodness. Man, I have a long list.

First, Cy Buchheister. He’s been in Charlotte for about a year after 25 years cooking in Dallas, Texas. He had a taco trailer once upon a time, but he discontinued that. Right now, he’s doing some freelance work. He’s amazing. I've learned a lot from him.

Another dear friend is Dean Orr. He could brag on himself all week long, but he’s too humble. He’s worked in New Orleans and New York. He’s worked in some Michelin restaurants. He and I worked together during the pandemic when everyone was pivoting. We started working at a retirement facility in Charlotte. Dean easily could’ve been a chef de cuisine, but we were both working as line cooks, basically.

Then, you’ve got Chef Andres Kaifer at Customshop. He’s awesome. You’ve got my man, Brandon Staton, who’s like a little brother to me. There’s Chayil Johnson from Community Matters Cafe. And of course, my partner, Daryl Cooper. Those are people who’ve poured into me and continue to even now.

I’ve recently been working with Tom Condron, a Charlotte legend who’s the executive chef at Bank of America, [owns Mimosa Grill and] once owned The Liberty in South End and Lumiere in Myers Park. He’s amazing. In only three months, I’ve learned so much from him about his standard of excellence and respecting your ingredients. 

What do you think about the concept of VIP & ME?
Very cool. Like I said, a lot of us in the industry are shifting away from the pursuit of a restaurant. There are so many talented chefs in the community who’d love an opportunity like this. I think this concept could really shape the future of the hospitality industry.

As far as career development, VIP & ME will give chefs another avenue to success – an avenue that doesn't require you to work 80 hours a week. There’s built-in flexibility. 

And from a guest’s standpoint, you’re getting a once-in-a-lifetime experience with a professional chef who’s bringing world-class dining into the comfort of your home. I hope this thing really blows up.