Acre is not a Chinese restaurant, but about 10 years ago, Chef Wally Joe decided to share his Chinese heritage by hosting an annual Lunar New Year dinner.

It’s become the East Memphis restaurant’s biggest night. 

“It’s grown into this monster,” said Andrew Adams, Acre’s chef de cuisine. “People fight to get reservations. ... It’s a madhouse night.” 

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Joe and Adams are the guests on this week’s Sound Bites episode. My interview with them follows Jennifer Chandler’s feature on the two chefs. They have been named semifinalists in the 2025 James Beard Awards, up for a shared Best Chef in the Southeast region.

On the podcast, we talk about the award, what it takes to keep a restaurant open for more than 12 years, that potato, tuna and caviar dish that lives rent-free in my mind, and of course, the Lunar New Year dinner.

Adams said that dinner takes two or three weeks of prep and is a huge effort for the Acre team. He talked about the first course, with longevity noodles and “baskets full of dumplings and wontons” as well as this year’s dessert — a reimagined French opera cake, with black sesame buttercream, jasmine chocolate ganache and soy sauce caramel. 

The dinner is an example of Acre’s commitment to inventive dishes that fuse Chinese and Asian flavors with French and Southern techniques and dishes.

As for the James Beard Award, it’s a recognition that came as a surprise. 

Chandler reported that the James Beard House has been an important place in the two chefs’ careers. But Joe said they haven’t been involved in the organization recently. 

“I don’t know who nominated us,” he said. “It came as a shock ... we just haven’t really thought about it.” 

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On the podcast, I asked Joe and Adams what gives the restaurant staying power.

“We’re here all the time,” Joe said. “Unless we’re closed or out of town, we are hands on, and we make sure every plate that goes out crosses our eyes, our hands.”

Adams added that a healthy fear of the business keeps them focused. 

As for the James Beard Awards process, they’ve been told that anonymous tasters will visit Acre ahead of the finalist announcements on April 2.

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Give a listen to the whole conversation, as their bond and devotion to cooking, to Acre, and to Memphis is palpable. 

I asked what the award would mean to Chef Wally Joe. 

“After more than 30 years, probably 40 now, of doing what I’m doing, it would just be ... the accolade that would top everything,” he said. “To do it all with Andrew, it would just make it that much sweeter.”