The James Beard Foundation held its chef and restaurant awards gala Monday night, bestowing the American restaurant industry’s highest honors upon the winners. For the first time in five years, an Atlanta chef is among the victors. Steven Satterfield of Miller Union took home the medal for Best Chef: Southeast. Staplehouse’s Ryan Smith was also nominated for the award.

Atlanta restaurateur Anne Quatrano (Star Provisions, Bacchanalia, Floataway Cafe, Dub’s Fish Camp) presented the medal, and Satterfield thanked his Miller Union colleagues, the James Beard Foundation, and the Southern Foodways Alliance upon receiving the award. “Whoa, this is really surreal,” the chef said on the stage at the Lyric Opera in Chicago. “I’m just overwhelmed.”

In addition to Smith, Satterfield bested John Fleer (Rhubarb, Asheville), Edward Lee (610 Magnolia, Louisville), and Andrew Ticer and Michael Hudman (Andrew Michael Italian Kitchen, Memphis) for the honor. Satterfield’s win gives Atlanta its first medal from the foundation’s chef and restaurant awards since Linton Hopkins and Hugh Acheson shared Best Chef: Southeast honors in 2012.

This was Satterfield’s fifth consecutive nomination for the award. Smith made the cut for the first time. Miller Union was also nominated for Outstanding Wine Program, which went to Canlis in Seattle.

Satterfield wasn’t alone in representing Atlanta Monday night. Thanks to its design of St. Cecilia, local empire builder Ford Fry’s Buckhead Italian restaurant, Meyer Davis Studio claimed the medal for Outstanding Restaurant Design: 76 Seats and Over.

Last year, Gunshow’s Kevin Gillespie joined Satterfield as a finalist for Best Chef: Southeast, and Staplehouse was in the running for Best New Restaurant. Sadly, all three went home empty-handed.

• Five Atlanta Chefs and Restaurants Are James Beard Award Finalists [EATL]

• All Awards Coverage [EATL]