Madison chef and legislator wins a Bon Appetit magazine award

Carol Deptolla
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
State Rep. Francesca Hong, D-Madison, co-chef and co-owner of Morris Ramen in Madison, is a winner of Bon Appetit magazine's new Heads of the Table award. The award went to a dozen people and organizations in the restaurant industry seeking to effect change in their communities.

A Madison chef-legislator is one of 12 people, restaurants and organizations featured in the October Bon Appetit magazine for their efforts during the pandemic.

Francesca Hong, co-chef and co-owner of Morris Ramen, 106 King St. near Capitol Square, is a winner of the magazine’s new Heads of the Table award. Bon Appetit took note of Hong because of her successful run for state office in 2020.

Hong, a Democrat, is Wisconsin's first Asian-American state representative.

The award is meant to spotlight leaders with an impact on the restaurant industry and their communities. It’s in place of the restaurant’s annual best new restaurants list.

“It didn’t feel fair — or logistically feasible — to do our annual rundown of America’s best new restaurants after such a weird year. So instead we’re honoring the restaurants, people and organizations that gave us hope,” Bon Appetit restaurants editor Elyse Inamine wrote.

The magazine includes an essay by Hong about why she ran last year for the Wisconsin Assembly seat in the 76th district, titled “My career in restaurants taught me what local government really needs.”

The awards article, “The trailblazing, community-building, future-making leaders changing the restaurant industry,” is online now at bonappetit.com, and the print edition of the magazine will be on newsstands Sept. 21 through Oct. 25.

Contact dining critic Carol Deptolla at carol.deptolla@jrn.com or (414) 224-2841, or through the Journal Sentinel Food & Home page on Facebook. Follow her on Twitter at @mkediner or Instagram at @mke_diner.