Miami chef Nando Chang wins James Beard Award

Nando Chang of Itamae AO in Midtown won the Best Chef: South category in the James Beard Awards last night — just one year after his sister, Valerie, won the same award.

• ViceVersa in Downtown fell short in the Best New Bar category.

Why it matters: The James Beard Awards are the Grammys of the food and beverage world.

The big picture: Chang's win solidifies Miami as a foodie city with restaurants and talent worth celebrating.

• Valerie's win last year marked the first time since 2010 a Miami chef took home an award, per the Foundation.

What they're saying: "It's pretty surreal," Chang told Axios after winning. "I was fortunate enough to watch my sister win this award last year, but being here in person this year [...] I feel very fortunate. We won back to back, it's pretty cool."

• "My family and I owe Miami so much," he said. "We're blessed to have been embraced by the community and our hope is that we continue to have a space to further grow our culture."

The bottom line: "If you're from Miami you should be proud to say, "We have great restaurants. That part feels really good," he said.