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Birdie’s Arjav Ezekiel named 2025 James Beard Award finalist

Though many local chefs + restaurants made the semifinalist cut, Birdie’s beverage director Arjav Ezekiel is Austin’s sole 2025 James Beard Award nominee.

April 2, 2025 • 
Morgan O’Neal
Arjav Ezekiel smiles and leans against a wooden shelf filled with bottles of wine, some with colorful and artistic labels. He is wearing a navy blazer over a white shirt and a blue baseball cap with a small embroidered design. Behind him, a large window with a blue frame lets in natural light, and yellow curtains hang beside it. Through the window, a tree and a house are visible in the background.

Arjav Ezekiel’s beverage program at Birdie’s includes the Gems List, featuring “baller, special occasion wines.”

Photo by @evakolenko via @birdiesaustin + @arjavezekiel

Only one Austinite will contend for a James Beard Award in 2025. Arjav Ezekiel, the beverage director at Birdie’s, is an Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service nominee.

Ezekiel co-owns the acclaimed counter-service restaurant and wine bar alongside his wife, Chef Tracy Malechek-Ezekiel, who was a 2024 James Beard Award finalist for Best Chef: Texas.

A selection of wine bottles is displayed on a perforated metal table against a white brick wall. Two wine glasses, one filled with red wine and the other with an amber-colored wine, are placed in the foreground. A hand is seen holding a dark wine bottle with handwritten-style labeling, lifting it slightly from the table. Sunlight casts a warm glow, highlighting the textures of the bottles and glasses.

Ezekiel curates Birdie’s wine list based on what’s cooking in the kitchen + the weather.

Photo by @evakolenko via @birdiesaustin + @arjavezekiel

While the Capital City’s culinary spotlight shines solely on Ezekiel this year, the 2025 James Beard Restaurant and Chef Award Nominees list also features finalists in San Antonio, Dallas, Houston, Spring, Lewisville, and Marfa.

Winners will be announced on Monday, June 16, at the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards ceremony in Chicago.

Hungry for more? Dig into this year’s local semifinalists + our historical list of James Beard Award nominees and winners in ATX.

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