Who Won The Joseph Hayes Legacy Award?

Joseph Hayes former Orlando magazine’s dining critic.

Joseph Hayes was Orlando magazine’s dining critic for 11 years. He was the author of the popular column “Savor This” and was a fixture in the community, also enthusiastically involved in Orlando’s arts scene. 

Hayes died suddenly in July 2025, and we remember him with inaugural award that celebrates a restaurant that’s been a longtime fixture in its own community. So, without further ado, meet the first recipient of The Joseph Hayes Legacy Award: Chef’s Table at the Edgewater.

Chef’s Table at the Edgewater

Chef’s Table opened in 2008 with nine tables and 30 seats, and has been a pillar of the Winter Garden restaurant scene ever since. It quickly garnered accolades, winning several Golden Spoon Awards from Florida Trend, and it’s consistently ranked in Orlando magazine’s Dining Awards, winning Best Restaurant, Best Appetizers, Best Chef’s Table, Best Service, Best Cocktails, Best Kept Secret, Best Wine Pairing Dinner and Most Romantic Rendezvous throughout the years.

Hayes wrote about Chef’s Table in his columns many times and was a supporter of the restaurant from its beginning. In one of his first reviews, Hayes wrote: “Chef’s Table is on the forefront of a new wave of fascinating, chef-run Central Florida restaurants that may just get us noticed by the rest of the country. Kevin Tarter takes his experience in the kitchens of Victoria & Albert’s and New Orleans legend Arnaud’s and creates a space that defines the words intimate and superior.”

Kevin and his wife Laurie are still at Chef Table’s helm; each has more than 30 years of culinary experience.

Chef’s Table’s location inside the historic Edgewater Hotel has allowed for multiple expansions, including the addition of the Cellar Room in 2009 and the Tasting Room in 2011. It continues to provide unforgettable dining experiences that Central Florida residents can rely on. chefstableattheedgewater.com