The James Beard Basis has introduced its checklist of chef and restaurant finalists for the 2026 James Beard Awards. The awards symbolize one of many highest honors within the restaurant trade, recognizing cooks and eating places throughout the US. The March 31 announcement highlighted cooks and eating places in classes together with Excellent Restaurateur, Greatest New Restaurant, and Greatest Chef awards in every of the muse’s 12 areas.
The announcement additionally included the winners of the muse’s Achievement Awards. No Us With out You, with honorees Damián Diaz and Othon Nolasco, acquired the Humanitarian of the 12 months Award, and chef and restaurateur Nancy Silverton was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award. The 5 honorees of the Impression Award have been the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA), Jon Bon Jovi Soul Kitchen, New Mexico Senator Ben Ray Luján, ReFED, and the Southern Smoke Basis.
On Could 6, the muse will announce the checklist of guide and media finalists, which considers cookbooks, non-fiction food- and beverage-related books, and broadcast media, together with podcasts, documentaries, and food-related social media accounts. Final month, the muse additionally introduced the winners of its America’s Traditional Award, which honors six “independently owned eating places with timeless attraction.” It additionally beforehand launched its annual longlist of chef and restaurant semifinalists from throughout the nation. All of this may culminate within the James Beard Award ceremonies, which might 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 Hyperlink and Stephen Stryjewski, Hyperlink Restaurant Group (Pêche Seafood Grill, Herbsaint, Cochon, and others), New Orleans, LA
- Hugo Ortega and Tracy Vaught, H-City Restaurant Group (Hugo’s, Xochi, Urbe, and others), Houston, TX
- Dana Road (Fore Road, Scales, Normal 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
Excellent Restaurant introduced by Acqua Panna® Pure Spring Water
- The Catbird Seat, Nashville, TN
- The 4 Horsemen, Brooklyn, NY
- Kalaya, Philadelphia, PA
- Mixtli, San Antonio, TX
- Vicia, St. Louis, MO
Rising Chef introduced by S.Pellegrino® Glowing Pure 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 College Place, TX
- 1033 Omakase, Milwaukee, WI
- Agnes and Sherman, Houston, TX
- Anjin, Kansas Metropolis, MO
- Emmett, Philadelphia, PA
- Ki, Los Angeles, CA
- 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
- Hearth Island Rustic Bakeshop, Anchorage, AK
- Tremendous Secret Ice Cream, Bethlehem, NH
- Weltons Tiny Bakeshop, Charleston, SC
- Wild Crumb, Bozeman, MT
Excellent Pastry Chef or Baker
- Neale Asato, Asato Household Store, 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
- Ansots Basque Chorizos & Catering, Boise, ID
- Aria, Atlanta, GA
- Bottega, Birmingham, AL
- Louie, Clayton, MO
- Windfall, Los Angeles, CA
Excellent Wine and Different Drinks Program
- Chambers, New York, NY
- Discipline & Important, Marshall, VA
- Kato, Los Angeles, CA
- The Port of Name, Mystic, CT
- Sway Brewing & Mixing, Baileys Harbor, WI
- Bow & Arrow Brewing Co., Albuquerque, NM
- Lovers Bar at Friday Saturday Sunday, Philadelphia, PA
- Onyx Espresso 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 Metropolis, OK
- Loma, Windfall, RI
Excellent Skilled 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
Excellent Skilled in Cocktail Service
- Hastings Cameron, Imaginary Manufacturing facility, Madison, WI
- Kevin Diedrich, Pacific Cocktail Haven, San Francisco, CA
- Nicky Fas, Pantera, Caguas, PR
- McLain Hedges and Mary Allison Wright, Yacht Membership, Denver, CO
- Ivy Combine, Whoopsie Daisy, Brooklyn, NY
Greatest Cooks introduced by Capital One (by area)
- Dave Beran, Seline, Santa Monica, CA
- Harrison Cheney, Sons & Daughters, San Francisco, CA
- Sarah Cooper and Alan Hsu, Solar Moon Studio, Oakland, CA
- Daisy Ryan, Bell’s, Los Alamos, CA
- Kwang Uh, Baroo, Los Angeles, CA
Greatest Chef: Nice 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
Greatest 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 Membership, Philadelphia, PA
- Suresh Sundas, Tapori, Washington, D.C.
- Omar Tate and Cybille St. Aude-Tate, Honeysuckle, Philadelphia, PA
Greatest 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 Deal with Field, Webster Groves, MO
- David Utterback, Yoshitomo, Ota, Omaha, NE
Greatest Chef: Mountain (CO, ID, MT, UT, WY)
- Johnny Curiel, Alma Fonda Fina, Denver, CO
- Travis Herbert, Felt Bar & Eatery, Salt Lake Metropolis, UT
- Earl James Reynolds, Herb and Omni, Whitefish, MT
- Penelope Wong, Yuan Wonton, Denver, CO
- Nick Zocco, City Hill, Salt Lake Metropolis, UT
Greatest 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
Greatest Chef: Northeast (CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT)
- David DiStasi, Materia Ristorante, Bantam, CT
- Evan Hennessey, Levels, Dover, NH
- Thomas Takashi Cooke, Izakaya Minato, Portland, ME
- Paul Trombly, Fancy’s, Burlington, VT
- Derek Wagner, Nicks on Broadway, Windfall, RI
Greatest 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
Greatest 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
Greatest Chef: Southeast (GA, KY, NC, SC, TN, WV)
- Joe Money, 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 Desk, Newport, KY
Greatest Chef: Southwest (AZ, NM, NV, OK)
- Jeff Chanchaleune, Bar Sen, Oklahoma Metropolis, 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 Metropolis, 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 With out 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 Basis
Disclosure: Some Vox Media employees members are a part of the voting physique for the James Beard Basis Awards.
