Tucson chef named semifinalist for prestigious James Beard Award

Claudia Vindiola of Tucson's La Frida Mexican Grill & Seafood often says she isn't a chef, but a passionate cook who learned in her mother's kitchen.   

In fact, Vindiola worked a wide variety of jobs as a single mom supporting her family — including 20 years as a hairstylist — before finally pursuing her true passion as a career.

Now she is not only being lauded as a chef — she's earned her way onto one of the most prestigious lists in that field. This week, the James Beard Awards, often called the Oscars of the food world, named Vindiola as a semifinalist for Best Chef: Southwest. 

When she heard the news Wednesday, "she said she couldn't stop crying," shares her son, Jesus Arana, who serves as general manager of La Frida Mexican Grill & Seafood, 7230 E. 22nd St.; Vindiola wasn't immediately available for an interview.  

Her inspiration is the artist Frida Kahlo, whose face adorns a mural overlooking the restaurant's dining room. Arana says his mother reveres Kahlo as "a strong, independent, powerful and creative woman," and aspires to bring artistry and color to the presentation of every plate of food.

Just as there are different canvases for different paintings, Vindiola has different plates and glasses designated for every dish and drink at La Frida, Arana said, and embellishes some dishes with locally grown flowers and sprouts. She is meticulous, overseeing every detail, he said. 

He described the presentation of one dish, the ribeye aguachile, an innovative take on a dish usually centered on fish or seafood, as an example. The ribeye is placed on a big oval plate, "surrounded by a luscious red hibiscus sauce" made with Baconora liquor, honey and chile, and topped with a crown of avocado and several garnishes. 

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He raved also about the salmon with mole, a sauce of 37 ingredients that takes 12 hours to prepare; the elote appetizer that Yelp named last year as best in the state; and the vegetarian jackfruit tacos made to look like chicken tinga. He also highlighted La Frida's "menu of the month" as a popular way to try their innovative dishes.

Vindiola and Arana are originally from Sonora, where she grew up learning from her mother, who taught cooking and baking lessons and later had a restaurant in Magdalena. But La Frida embraces not only Sonoran but various regions of Mexican cuisine, which Vindiola has described as one of the most diverse cuisines in the world. The restaurant runs as "a very tight family," Arana says; his two youngest siblings also work there.

La Frida Mexican Grill & Seafood, which opened in December 2023, was named No. 41 on Yelp's 2025 Top 100 Places to Eat in America, driven by glowing customer reviews — which have also led to long wait times to get in.

Vindiola expressed her gratitude for the "immense honor" of the James Beard recognition in statements she wrote in English and Spanish, saying, "This recognition is not individual. It reflects a collective effort rooted in the heart of our team, the trust of our guests, and the constant support of our community. Every dish that leaves our kitchen carries history, tradition, and deep respect for Mexican culinary culture."

La Frida is the only Tucson representative on this year's list of James Beard semifinalists.

Finalists will be announced March 31, and winners June 15 in Chicago. 

The Arizona Republic lists the other Arizona semifinalists as: Rochelle Daniel of Atria in Flagstaff; Kyle Kent of Chula Seafood in Phoenix; Roberto Centeno of Espiritu in Mesa; Scott Holmes of Little Miss BBQ in Phoenix; TJ Culp of Restaurant Progress in Phoenix; Nadia Holguin and Armando Hernandez of Tacos Chiwas in Phoenix; Charleen Badman of FnB in Scottsdale; Indibar in Scottsdale; and Ross Simon of Little Rituals in Phoenix.