The James Beard Foundation has announced its list of chef and restaurant finalists for the 2026 James Beard Awards. The awards represent one of the highest honors in the restaurant industry, recognizing chefs and restaurants across the United States. The March 31 announcement highlighted chefs and restaurants in categories including Outstanding Restaurateur, Best New Restaurant, and Best Chef awards in each of the foundation’s 12 regions.
The announcement also included the winners of the foundation’s Achievement Awards. No Us Without You, with honorees Damián Diaz and Othon Nolasco, received the Humanitarian of the Year Award, and chef and restaurateur Nancy Silverton was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award. The five honorees of the Impact Award were the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA), Jon Bon Jovi Soul Kitchen, New Mexico Senator Ben Ray Luján, ReFED, and the Southern Smoke Foundation.
On May 6, the foundation will announce the list of book and media finalists, which considers cookbooks, non-fiction food- and beverage-related books, and broadcast media, including podcasts, documentaries, and food-related social media accounts. Last month, the foundation also announced the winners of its America’s Classic Award, which honors six “independently owned restaurants with timeless appeal.” It also previously released its annual longlist of chef and restaurant semifinalists from across the country. All of this will culminate in the James Beard Award ceremonies, which will be held in Chicago from June 13 to June 15.
- Srijith Gopinathan and Ayesha Thapar (Ettan, Copra, and Eylan), Palo Alto, San Francisco, Los Altos, and Menlo Park, CA
- Meherwan Irani and Molly Irani, Chai Pani Restaurant Group (Chai Pani and Botiwalla), Asheville, NC
- Donald Link and Stephen Stryjewski, Link Restaurant Group (Pêche Seafood Grill, Herbsaint, Cochon, and others), New Orleans, LA
- Hugo Ortega and Tracy Vaught, H-Town Restaurant Group (Hugo’s, Xochi, Urbe, and others), Houston, TX
- Dana Street (Fore Street, Scales, Standard Baking Co., and others), Portland, ME
- Gilberto Cetina, Holbox, Los Angeles, CA
- Niki Nakayama, n/naka, Los Angeles, CA
- Josh Niernberg, Bin 707 Foodbar, Grand Junction, CO
- David Standridge, The Shipwright’s Daughter, Mystic, CT
- Michael Tusk, Quince, San Francisco, CA
Outstanding Restaurant presented by Acqua Panna® Natural Spring Water
- The Catbird Seat, Nashville, TN
- The Four Horsemen, Brooklyn, NY
- Kalaya, Philadelphia, PA
- Mixtli, San Antonio, TX
- Vicia, St. Louis, MO
Emerging Chef presented by S.Pellegrino® Sparkling Natural Mineral Water
- Fátima Juárez, Komal, Los Angeles, CA
- E.J. Lagasse, Emeril’s, New Orleans, LA
- Rasheeda Purdie, Ramen by Rā, New York, NY
- Bailey Sullivan, Monteverde Restaurant & Pastificio, Chicago, IL
- Adrian Torres, Maximo, West University Place, TX
- 1033 Omakase, Milwaukee, WI
- Agnes and Sherman, Houston, TX
- Anjin, Kansas City, MO
- Emmett, Philadelphia, PA
- Lei, New York, NY
- Maison Bar à Vins, Washington, DC
- Merci, Charleston, SC
- Robin, St. Louis, MO
- Tamba, Las Vegas, NV
- Cultured, Sister Bay, WI
- Fire Island Rustic Bakeshop, Anchorage, AK
- Super Secret Ice Cream, Bethlehem, NH
- Weltons Tiny Bakeshop, Charleston, SC
- Wild Crumb, Bozeman, MT
Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker
- Neale Asato, Asato Family Shop, Honolulu, HI
- Susan Bae, Moon Rabbit, Washington, D.C.
- Tavel Bristol-Joseph, Nicosi, San Antonio, TX
- Maggie Huff, Lucia, Dallas, TX
- Justine MacNeil, Fiore, Philadelphia, PA
- Ammatoli, Long Beach, CA
- Ansots Basque Chorizos & Catering, Boise, ID
- Aria, Atlanta, GA
- Bottega, Birmingham, AL
- Louie, Clayton, MO
- Providence, Los Angeles, CA
Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program
- Chambers, New York, NY
- Field & Main, Marshall, VA
- Kato, Los Angeles, CA
- The Port of Call, Mystic, CT
- Sway Brewing & Blending, Baileys Harbor, WI
- Bow & Arrow Brewing Co., Albuquerque, NM
- Lovers Bar at Friday Saturday Sunday, Philadelphia, PA
- Onyx Coffee Lab, Rogers, AR
- Scotch Lodge, Portland, OR
- Smuggler’s Cove, San Francisco, CA
- Bar Chenin, Detroit, MI
- Bar Please!, Boise, ID
- Clemente Bar, New York, NY
- Later Bye, Oklahoma City, OK
- Loma, Providence, RI
Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service
- Jack Benchakul, Endorffeine, Los Angeles, CA
- Lee Campbell, Borgo, New York, NY
- Ryan Fletter, Barolo Grill, Denver, CO
- Brent Kroll, Maxwell Park, Washington, D.C.
- June Rodil, March, Houston, TX
Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service
- Hastings Cameron, Imaginary Factory, Madison, WI
- Kevin Diedrich, Pacific Cocktail Haven, San Francisco, CA
- Nicky Fas, Pantera, Caguas, PR
- McLain Hedges and Mary Allison Wright, Yacht Club, Denver, CO
- Ivy Mix, Whoopsie Daisy, Brooklyn, NY
Best Chefs presented by Capital One (by region)
- Dave Beran, Seline, Santa Monica, CA
- Harrison Cheney, Sons & Daughters, San Francisco, CA
- Sarah Cooper and Alan Hsu, Sun Moon Studio, Oakland, CA
- Daisy Ryan, Bell’s, Los Alamos, CA
- Kwang Uh, Baroo, Los Angeles, CA
Best Chef: Great Lakes (IL, IN, MI, OH)
- Vinnie Cimino, Cordelia, Cleveland, OH
- Sarah Dworak, Sudova, Cincinnati, OH
- Norman Fenton, Cariño, Chicago, IL
- Jeffrey Harris, Nolia Kitchen, Cincinnati, OH
- Jacob Potashnick, Feld, Chicago, IL
Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic (DC, DE, MD, NJ, PA, VA)
- Nathan Flaim, Luca, Lancaster, PA
- Jesse Ito, Royal Sushi & Izakaya, Philadelphia, PA
- Amanda Shulman, Her Place Supper Club, Philadelphia, PA
- Suresh Sundas, Tapori, Washington, D.C.
- Omar Tate and Cybille St. Aude-Tate, Honeysuckle, Philadelphia, PA
Best Chef: Midwest (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD, WI)
- Zak Baker, Ca’Lucchenzo, Wauwatosa, WI
- Nick Bognar, Sado, Pavilion, St. Louis, MO
- Shigeyuki Furukawa, Kado No Mise, Minneapolis, MN
- Loryn Nalic, Balkan Treat Box, Webster Groves, MO
- David Utterback, Yoshitomo, Ota, Omaha, NE
Best Chef: Mountain (CO, ID, MT, UT, WY)
- Johnny Curiel, Alma Fonda Fina, Denver, CO
- Travis Herbert, Felt Bar & Eatery, Salt Lake City, UT
- Earl James Reynolds, Herb and Omni, Whitefish, MT
- Penelope Wong, Yuan Wonton, Denver, CO
- Nick Zocco, Urban Hill, Salt Lake City, UT
Best Chef: New York State
- Fidel Caballero, Corima, New York, NY
- Giovanni Cervantes, Carnitas Ramirez, New York, NY
- Hooni Kim, Meju, Queens, NY
- Ayesha Nurdjaja, Shukette, New York, NY
- Joshua Pinsky, Claud, New York, NY
Best Chef: Northeast (CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT)
- David DiStasi, Materia Ristorante, Bantam, CT
- Evan Hennessey, Stages, Dover, NH
- Thomas Takashi Cooke, Izakaya Minato, Portland, ME
- Paul Trombly, Fancy’s, Burlington, VT
- Derek Wagner, Nicks on Broadway, Providence, RI
Best Chef: Northwest & Pacific (AK, HI, OR, WA)
- Nathan Bentley, Altura Bistro, Anchorage, AK
- Johnny Courtney, Atoma, Seattle, WA
- Thomas Pisha-Duffly, Gado Gado, Portland, OR
- Ryan Roadhouse, Nodoguro, Portland, OR
- Aaron Tekulve, Surrell, Seattle, WA
Best Chef: South (AL, AR, FL, LA, MS, PR)
- Bryce Bonsack, Rocca, Tampa, FL
- Ana Castro, Acamaya, New Orleans, LA
- Maria La Mota and Chason Spencer, Chancho King, Jacksonville, FL
- Serigne Mbaye, Dakar NOLA, New Orleans, LA
- Jason Paul, Heirloom at 1907, Rogers, AR
Best Chef: Southeast (GA, KY, NC, SC, TN, WV)
- Joe Cash, Scoundrel, Greenville, SC
- Mary Ellen Diaz, Alma Bea, Shepherdstown, WV
- J. Trent Harris, Mujō, Atlanta, GA
- Taylor Montgomery, Montgomery Sky Farm, Leicester, NC
- David Willocks, The Baker’s Table, Newport, KY
Best Chef: Southwest (AZ, NM, NV, OK)
- Jeff Chanchaleune, Bar Sen, Oklahoma City, OK
- Brian Howard, Sparrow + Wolf, Las Vegas, NV
- Steve Riley, Mesa Provisions, Albuquerque, NM
- Sarah Thompson, Casa Playa, Las Vegas, NV
- Zack Walters, Sedalia’s, Oklahoma City, OK
- Ope Amosu, ChòpnBlọk, Houston, TX
- Evelyn Garcia and Henry Lu, JŪN, Houston, TX
- Scott Girling, Osteria Il Muro, Denton, TX
- Gabe Padilla and Melissa Padilla, Café Piro, Socorro, TX
- Finn Walter, The Nicolett, Lubbock, TX
- No Us Without You LA, Damián Diaz and Othon Nolasco
- Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA)
- Jon Bon Jovi Soul Kitchen
- Senator Ben Ray Luján
- ReFED
- Southern Smoke Foundation
Disclosure: Some Vox Media staff members are part of the voting body for the James Beard Foundation Awards.
