Susan Bae of Moon Rabbit is the only Washington DC chef to win a 2026 James Beard Award.
Susan Bae Takes Home Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker
On Monday, June 15, 2026, the James Beard Foundation crowned its newest winners at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Among them, Susan Bae earned Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker. She stood as the only Washington DC winner of the night! The honor caps a steady climb. After all, she was already a 2024 James Beard semifinalist and the 2025 North America’s Best Pastry Chef, sponsored by Valrhona.
Her win also lifts Moon Rabbit, the modern Vietnamese restaurant she helped open with chef Kevin Tien. For a kitchen she once ran alone, this moment marked a full-circle arrival.
From a McDonald’s Apple Pie to a National Medal
Bae’s path began far from any award stage. Raised in Los Angeles by Korean parents, she first chased pastry by recreating the McDonald’s apple pie her father loved. That small obsession turned professional. After Le Cordon Bleu in Pasadena, she sharpened her skills at Helms Bakery and kitchens like Animal at Jon & Vinny’s. Next, she helped Kali earn its first Michelin star as pastry chef.
A run at the Fairmont in Austin then taught her large-scale precision. Soon after, Kevin Tien messaged her on Instagram. She packed up and moved cross-country to open Moon Rabbit, sight unseen, without a single tasting.
Why Moon Rabbit’s Dessert Menu Demands a Reservation
Today, Bae leads an all-women pastry team as executive pastry chef. She draws from nature, leaning on herbs to bend familiar flavors. Her durian and white chocolate mousse, finished with passion fruit, white chocolate streusel, and dill, shows that instinct in a single bowl.
As she puts it on this podcast, “Pastry is not necessarily about the food; it’s about methodical science.” That precision explains the acclaim. It also explains why Moon Rabbit keeps one of DC’s most wanted tables. Book a reservation now, and make room for dessert!
The Washington Lobbyist champions the chefs and restaurants that give DC its flavor, and Bae’s win sits squarely in that tradition. We cover these milestones so you can taste them for yourself. Plan your visit, and let her award be your reason to go.
Moon Rabbit, 927 F Street NW, Washington, DC 20004.
