NJ Chef of the Year Award Goes to Jason Hanin of Cape May’s Ebbitt Room

Seven other local chefs had been named finalists for the honor, awarded by the New Jersey Restaurant and Hospitality Association.

By Jacqueline Mroz | | November 6, 2025
Chef Jason Hanin of the Ebbitt Room in Cape May, New Jersey

Chef Jason Hanin of The Ebbitt Room in Cape May. Photo: Courtesy of Cape Resorts

Jason Hanin, executive chef at the Ebbitt Room in Cape May, has been named the state’s Chef of the Year by the New Jersey Restaurant and Hospitality Association (NJRHA).

The honor was awarded after public voting and was announced at the nonprofit’s 40th annual awards ceremony on Wednesday night—the first to be held in five years, following a pandemic-induced hiatus. The Ebbitt Room at the Virginia Hotel is on NJM‘s Classics restaurant list and is one of our favorite restaurants in Cape May.

The honor recognizes chef Hanin’s exceptional culinary talent, leadership and dedication to advancing New Jersey’s vibrant restaurant and hospitality industry.

A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Hanin has built a career defined by curiosity, craftsmanship and a deep respect for ingredients and culture. At The Ebbitt Room, he leads a culinary program rooted in a farm-to-table and farm-to-glass philosophy, sourcing hyper-seasonal ingredients directly from Cape May’s Beach Plum Farm. His menus reflect both global inspiration and local devotion.

The finalists for the Chef of the Year award were:

The ceremony took place at the Ryland Inn in Whitehouse Station, celebrating excellence across New Jersey’s hospitality industry.

Other 2025 award recipients were:

  • Restaurateur of the Year: The Kunisch family, Allendale Bar & Grill and Mahwah Bar & Grill
  • Hotelier of the Year: Eustace Mita, ICONA Resorts
  • Deborah Dowdell Lifetime Achievement Award: Mike Perro, PJW Restaurant Group
  • Hospitality: Marilou Halvorsen, American Hotel & Lodging Association
  • Friend of the Industry: Dale Florio, Princeton Public Affairs
  • Community Impact: Chef, author and mentor Jesse Jones

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