Top Chefs

Get to know Winston-Salem’s three James Beardnominated chefs and the restaurants they run.

By: Tina Firesheets

The restaurant journeys of three James Beard-nominated chefs, Stephanie Tyson, Peyton Smith, and Justin Webster, are as different as the food they serve.

But they share a few things in common: They are really, really good at what they do. Their dedication to their craft outweighs recognition and awards. And each of them is fueled by a deep hunger to keep improving their craft.

Stephanie Tyson

Sweet Potatoes Restaurant and Miss Ora’s Kitchen

Best Chef semifinalist 2022 + 2023 (Southeast region)

In January, Tyson and Vivián Joiner celebrated 20 years of running their Trade Street eatery, Sweet Potatoes Restaurant and Miss Ora’s Kitchen. They’ve collected numerous accolades through the years. Their first location — also on Trade Street — was an intimate space that commanded a two-hour wait for dinner from the very beginning. Since then, they’ve been featured in Our State and Southern Living magazines and the Food Network’s Guilty Pleasures show.

Tyson never focuses on winning awards because she believes the reward should be how well you do your job. “I just want to do what, I think, I was called to do, which is to feed people,” Tyson says. “James Beard is very prestigious, so I guess this is saying that you did your job really well. So, it’s an honor.”

WHAT TO ORDER: Anything with sweet potatoes is a winner, including the sweet-potato biscuits and sweet potato pie. Other must-tries: Fried Green Tomato & Okra Basket (appetizer), Mambo Chicken Sandwich, and the Spaghetti with a Draw –pasta in a Creole sauce with smoked sausage, country ham, and chicken tenders. 607 Trade St NW, sweetpotatoes.ws

Peyton Smith

Mission Pizza Napoletana

Best Chef 2022 (Southeast region)

How does a Winston-Salem native become an expert in crafting traditional Neapolitan-style pizza?

Not only that, but how does a relative outsider to the restaurant industry get a James Beard nomination as one of the best chefs in the Southeast?

Dedication. Hard work. Respect for the craft.

Peyton Smith didn’t set out to be a chef. He had a pharmaceutical job with a good salary but found it unfulfilling. “I just wanted to go in the direction of doing real things. Like making a real thing,” he says.

That thing ended up being pizza. He spent time in New York and Italy, eating and learning about pizza — particularly Neapolitan-style pizza. He liked how easy it is to consume the pizza, and that it really showcases fresh ingredients — the ripe, juicy tomatoes; the soft, fresh cheese; the aromatic herbs.

A James Beard nomination affirms the countless hours he’s put in over the years. “I feel like the more I give to pizza, the more pizza gives to me,” he says. “I love making pizza. And I just want to get better and better.”

WHAT TO ORDER: While the Diavola and the Diego Marinara are the most popular pizzas, Smith also suggests a must-try pasta dish on the menu, the Bucatini All’Amatriciana 707 Trade St NW, missionpizzanapoletana.com

Justin Webster

Heff’s Burger Club

Best New Restaurant 2023 (nationwide)

Justin Webster came across the smash burger concept — a 4-oz. patty smashed thin so it yields a crispy, crunchy burger — while working on a burger truck in Brooklyn.

“My idea was to elevate the fast-food burgers from my youth. So, what if a Whopper was elevated? Or what if a Baconator was elevated? What if we used really good ingredients and made these fast-food burgers really good?”

Burgers are served with toppings such as griddled onions, bacon, pimiento cheese, locally sourced pickles, spicy ketchup, and Cheerwine BBQ sauce.

Webster says the Beard nomination is a lifelong dream come true. “Even a nomination is like an award in and of itself,” he says. “We’re unapologetically ourselves. We play loud punk music. We have cartoons on the TV. Our art is funky,” he says. “That’s who we are. And if you’re cool and nice, we’ll always give you a good experience.”

WHAT TO ORDER: “The Ladykiller is our magnum opus,” Webster says. ”To me, it’s a perfect burger — but the Piggy Wiggy is my go-to — simple, with bacon, griddled onions, cheese, spicy ketchup, and mayo.” 285 W Fourth St., heffsburgerclub.com