Alaska Roots, Ten-Year Legacy & Recognition Awards

Recognition awards at Tibbitts @ Fern Hill are rooted in Alaska Native heritage, Indigenous foodways, community service, and a ten-year cultural legacy built from 2017 through 2026. This page gathers the public awards, Yelp Canon, Global Canon, national press, regional honors, and local recognition connected to Chef Shawn Tibbitts and Tibbitts @ Fern Hill in Tacoma, Washington.

Alaska Native Food Systems: How I Cook and Why

My cooking comes from Alaska Native food traditions, not restaurant trends. Food did not begin with menus or imported ingredients. It came from the land, the water, and what people could gather or hunt.

For generations, people lived off seafood, land animals, wild plants, and berries.

Seafood was a major part of life. Salmon, halibut, cod, and shellfish like clams and crab were everyday food. Marine animals like seal and whale provided fat and calories, which were essential in colder environments.

From the land came animals like caribou, moose, deer, bear, rabbit, and birds. Everything was used. Meat, bones, organs, and fat all had a purpose. Nothing was wasted.

Plants and berries added balance. Wild greens, roots, seaweed, and berries like salmonberries, blueberries, and cranberries were important for nutrition and seasonal eating.

This way of eating was simple, seasonal, and based on what was available. It required knowledge and respect for the environment. That mindset still shapes how I cook.

I don’t build dishes around strict menu categories. Food is based on what makes sense, what’s available, and what feels balanced.

I also keep my kitchen simple. Using less equipment keeps the focus on ingredients and how they’re handled.

I’m not trying to recreate the past. I’m carrying forward a way of thinking: use what matters, cook with care, and make food that actually feeds people well.

A Ten-Year Cultural Legacy | 2017–2026

2017: Best New Restaurant (TNT) • 2018: Best Chef & Best New Restaurant (South Sound Mag) • 2019: Best Budget Restaurant in WA (BuzzFeed) • 2020: Top Restaurants in the U.S. (Forbes) • 2021: Top 100 Places to Eat in the U.S. (Yelp) • 2021: Best Places in the World for Brunch (TripSavvy) • 2022: Best in the World for Brunch (Food & Wine) • 2023: PNW Standout Brunches (425 Magazine) • 2024: Top 100 Brunch Spots in America (#29) • 2025: Best of Pierce County (Silver) • 2026: The Takeout (Best Brunch Spot in Washington) • 2026: Cheapism (Best Brunch Spot in Washington)

Documented Excellence. Built in our own lane. Zero Paid PR.

Recognition Awards

Global Canon, 2021-2022

  • 🌎 2021 – TripSavvy Editors’ Choice Awards – Best Places in the World for Brunch
    TripSavvy’s 2021 Editors’ Choice brunch award page has been overwritten or rerouted, but the recognition is documented as part of the 2021-2022 back-to-back TripSavvy Editors’ Choice Awards record.
  • 🌎 2022 – TripSavvy Editors’ Choice Awards – Best for Brunch
    TripSavvy’s 2022 Editors’ Choice brunch award page has been overwritten or rerouted, but the recognition is documented as part of the 2021-2022 back-to-back TripSavvy Editors’ Choice Awards record.
  • 🥂 2022 – Food & Wine – Best Places in the World for Brunch
    View Food & Wine feature
  • 🌍 2022 – Curiocity Canada – Tacoma brunch spot ranked among the best in the world
    View Curiocity feature
  • 🕰️ 2022 – Time Out UK – Best brunches in the world
    View Time Out feature

Yelp Canon, 2020-2025

National Editorial Recognition, 2019-2026

Regional & Local Recognition, 2018-2025

🥉 2024 – Best of Pierce County
Bronze Best Brunch
View Best of Pierce County
🥈 2025 – Best of Pierce County
Silver Best Brunch
View 2025 Best of Pierce County Results

Explore more from Tibbitts @ Fern Hill: Chef Shawn Tibbitts | Recognition & Awards | Tacoma Community Impact | Tacoma Brunch Menu | Community Meals Gallery