James Beard Awards semifinalists announced: see the chefs and restaurants to watch

Show summary

Why this year’s semifinalists matter
Key categories and semifinalists
How past Beard recognition changed careers

On Jan. 21, 2026 the James Beard Foundation published its semifinalist roster for the Restaurant and Chef Awards, kicking off the countdown to this year’s prize announcements. For diners, restaurateurs and culinary professionals, the list signals where to watch for rising talent—and which kitchens might see a surge in reservations if a finalist or winner emerges.

The awards, run by the James Beard Foundation, have long been a bellwether for the U.S. food world. Established in the 1980s to honor the legacy of James Beard, the organization recognizes cooking, hospitality, beverage programs and food media while promoting equity and sustainability across the industry.

Why this year’s semifinalists matter

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Semifinalist status typically raises a restaurant’s profile overnight, influencing bookings, media coverage and often a chef’s career trajectory. The 2026 list spans long-established groups and newer kitchens from cities large and small—another sign that the awards continue to reflect both legacy institutions and regional innovation.

Key categories and semifinalists

Outstanding Restaurateur

Elizabeth Blau — Blau + Associates (Buddy V’s; Honeysalt), Las Vegas, NV

Stuart Brioza & Nicole Krasinski — Atomic Workshop (The Anchovy Bar; The Progress; State Bird Provisions), San Francisco, CA

Mike Brown, Bob Gerken & James Winberg — Travail Collective (Travail Kitchen & Amusements; ie by Travail; Dream Creamery), Robbinsdale, MN

Frank Callero, Joe Flamm & Steven Zaleski — Day Off Group (Rose Mary; il Carciofo; BLVD Steakhouse), Chicago, IL

Rachel Cope — 84 Hospitality (Elisabetta; Gorō Ramen; Burger Punk), Oklahoma City, OK

Scott Drewno & Danny Lee — Fried Rice Collective (Anju; Chiko; I Egg You), Washington, D.C.

Brett Evje & Michael Ochsner — PLONK (Bozeman; J.W. Heist Steakhouse; PLONK Missoula), Bozeman & Missoula, MT

Holly Fox & Adam Weisblatt — Last Word Hospitality (Found Oyster; Rasarumah; The Copper Room), Los Angeles, CA

Srijith Gopinathan & Ayesha Thapar — Ettan / Copra / Eylan, Bay Area, CA

Meherwan & Molly Irani — Chai Pani Restaurant Group (Chai Pani; Botiwalla), Asheville, NC

Simon Kim — Gracious Hospitality (COTE; Undercote; COQODAQ), New York, NY

Tommy Lee — Uncle; Hop Alley; Molino Chido, Denver, CO

Donald Link & Stephen Stryjewski — Link Restaurant Group (Pêche Seafood Grill; Herbsaint; Cochon), New Orleans, LA

Tom Main — Freeland’s; Tinker Street, Indianapolis, IN

Leslie McCrorey Wells — Pizzeria Verità; Trattoria Delia; Sotto Enoteca, Burlington, VT

Peter Merriman — Merriman’s; Monkeypod, Hawai‘i

Hugo Ortega & Tracy Vaught — H‑Town Restaurant Group (Hugo’s; Xochi; Urbe), Houston, TX

Dana Street — Fore Street; Scales; Standard Baking Co., Portland, ME

Greg Vernick — Vernick Philadelphia (Vernick Food & Drink; Vernick Fish; Vernick Coffee Bar), Philadelphia, PA

Jennifer & Nicole Vitagliano — Elizabeth Street Hospitality (The Musket Room; Raf’s; Cafe Zaffri), New York, NY

Outstanding Chef

Ann Ahmed — Khâluna, Minneapolis, MN

Charleen Badman — FnB, Scottsdale, AZ

Gilberto Cetina — Holbox, Los Angeles, CA

Diana Davila — Mi Tocaya Antojeria, Chicago, IL

Zachary Engel — Galit, Chicago, IL

Manabu Horiuchi — Katami, Houston, TX

David Kirkland & Ernest Servantes — Burnt Bean Co., Seguin, TX

Gabriel Kreuther — Gabriel Kreuther, New York, NY

Joseph Lenn — J.C. Holdway, Knoxville, TN

Rob McDaniel — Bayonet, Birmingham, AL

Niki Nakayama — n/naka, Los Angeles, CA

Dean Neff — Seabird, Wilmington, NC

Josh Niernberg — Bin 707 Foodbar, Grand Junction, CO

Kwame Onwuachi — Tatiana, New York, NY

Peter Pastan — 2 Amy’s, Washington, D.C.

Missy Robbins — Lilia, Brooklyn, NY

Alex Roberts — Alma, Minneapolis, MN

David Standridge — The Shipwright’s Daughter, Mystic, CT

Michael Tusk — Quince, San Francisco, CA

Aaron Verzosa — Archipelago, Seattle, WA

Outstanding Restaurant

Antico Nuovo — Los Angeles, CA

Bar La Grassa — Minneapolis, MN

Blackbird Kitchen — Bozeman, MT

The Catbird Seat — Nashville, TN

Centrolina — Washington, D.C.

Chubby Fish — Charleston, SC

EL Ideas — Chicago, IL

FarmBar — Tulsa, OK

Foreign Cinema — San Francisco, CA

The Four Horsemen — Brooklyn, NY

Kalaya — Philadelphia, PA

Kasama — Chicago, IL

Le Pigeon — Portland, OR

Mixtli — San Antonio, TX

Nonesuch — Oklahoma City, OK

O Ya — Boston, MA

Oberlin — Providence, RI

Via Carota — New York, NY

Vianda — San Juan, PR

Vicia — St. Louis, MO

Emerging Chef

Hector Garate — Palmira Barbecue, Charleston, SC

Anthony Jones — Marcus DC, Washington, D.C.

Steve Joo — Joodooboo, Oakland, CA

Fátima Juárez — Komal, Los Angeles, CA

E.J. Lagasse — Emeril’s, New Orleans, LA

Max Lappé & Jacques Varon — Baso, Houston, TX

Sunny Lee — Sunn’s, New York, NY

Kyle Lussier — The Pines, Grand Rapids, MN

Nicolai Mlodinow — Class Act, Chicago, IL

Ellie Parker — Main Street Provisions, Las Vegas, NV

Rasheeda Purdie — Ramen by Rā, New York, NY

Frankie Ramirez — Amá, Philadelphia, PA

José Olmedo Carles Rojas — Si! Mon, Venice, CA

Vanessa Rose — Mother’s, Milwaukee, WI

Ahmed Suliman — Cafe Suliman, Seattle, WA

Bailey Sullivan — Monteverde Restaurant & Pastificio, Chicago, IL

Pao Thampitak — Gaaeng Supper Club, Boston, MA

Adrian Torres — Maximo, West University Place, TX

Bao Tran — Giovedi, Honolulu, HI

Jasmine Watson — Audette, Newport, RI

Best New Restaurant

1033 Omakase — Milwaukee, WI

Agnes and Sherman — Houston, TX

Anacacho Coffee & Cantina — San Antonio, TX

Anjin — Kansas City, MO

Bong — New York, NY

Café Monette — St. Albans, VT

Claudine — Providence, RI

Echelon Kitchen & Bar — Ann Arbor, MI

Emmett — Philadelphia, PA

Evviva — New Orleans, LA

Far-Out — Dallas, TX

The Happy Crane — San Francisco, CA

Indibar — Scottsdale, AZ

Junah — Salt Lake City, UT

Kabawa — New York, NY

Ki — Los Angeles, CA

Kizaki — Denver, CO

Lei — New York, NY

Little Beast Ballard — Seattle, WA

Maison Bar à Vins — Washington, DC

Merci — Charleston, SC

Nadu — Chicago, IL

Nic & Junior’s — Chicago, IL

Peregrine — Raleigh, NC

Robin — St. Louis, MO

ROLi — New Haven, CT

RVR — Venice, CA

Saint Claire — New Orleans, LA

Tamba — Las Vegas, NV

The Wayland Mill — Seattle, WA

Outstanding Bakery

Bánh by Lauren — New York, NY

Born & Bread Bakehouse — Lakeland, FL

The Burque Bakehouse — Albuquerque, NM

Bywater Bakery — New Orleans, LA

Café Dear Leon — Baltimore, MD

Cultured — Sister Bay, WI

Dan The Baker — Columbus, OH

DeLuxe Cakes and Pastries — Iowa City, IA

Fire Island Rustic Bakeshop — Anchorage, AK

Gusto Bread — Long Beach, CA

Librae — New York, NY

The Local General Store — Honolulu, HI

Mercado Sin Nombre — Austin, TX

Niedlov’s Bakery Cafe — Knoxville, TN

Night Moves Bread — South Portland, ME

Poulette Bakeshop — Parker, CO

Starship Bagel — Dallas, TX

Super Secret Ice Cream — Bethlehem, NH

Weltons Tiny Bakeshop — Charleston, SC

Wild Crumb — Bozeman, MT

Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker

Renata Ameni — Birdee, Brooklyn, NY

Neale Asato — Asato Family Shop, Honolulu, HI

Susan Bae — Moon Rabbit, Washington, D.C.

Youssef Boudarine — J’adore Pastry, Indianapolis, IN

Tavel Bristol‑Joseph — Nicosi, San Antonio, TX

Monique & Paul Feybesse — Tarts de Feybesse, Oakland, CA

Monica Glass — Verveine Cafe & Bakery, Cambridge, MA

Maggie Huff — Lucia, Dallas, TX

Courtney Kenyon‑Snider — Obélix, Chicago, IL

Helen Jo Leach — The Town Company, Kansas City, MO

Eunji Lee — Lysée, New York, NY

Justine MacNeil — Fiore, Philadelphia, PA

Claudia Martinez — Bar ANA, Atlanta, GA

Kimberly McIntosh — MILKFISH Bakeshop, Las Vegas, NV

Lucia Merino — Lucia Patisserie, San Juan, PR

Oscar Ortega — Atelier Ortega, Jackson Hole, WY

Whitney Stancil — Cuvée at Chatham Inn, Chatham, MA

Emily Thompson — The Wolf’s Tailor, Denver, CO

Christina Wood — Temple Pastries, Seattle, WA

Hannah Ziskin — Quarter Sheets, Los Angeles, CA

Outstanding Hospitality

Ammatoli — Long Beach, CA

Ansots Basque Chorizos & Catering — Boise, ID

Aria — Atlanta, GA

Barley Swine — Austin, TX

Bottega — Birmingham, AL

Bresca — Washington, D.C.

Cosme — New York, NY

Daisies — Chicago, IL

House of Prime Rib — San Francisco, CA

Joan’s in the Park — St. Paul, MN

Louie — Clayton, MO

Mallorca — Cleveland, OH

Ostra — Boston, MA

Providence — Los Angeles, CA

Red Hook Tavern — Brooklyn, NY

Restaurant Olivia — Denver, CO

Sofreh — Brooklyn, NY

State Road — Martha’s Vineyard, MA

Tailor — Nashville, TN

Tutka Bay Lodge — Homer, AK

Outstanding Wine & Beverage Program

Ada’s Wine Bar — Las Vegas, NV

Amara at Paraiso — Miami, FL

Apteka — Pittsburgh, PA

Brasero — Chicago, IL

Caruso’s — Montecito, CA

Chambers — New York, NY

Coquine — Portland, OR

F.L.X. Table — Geneva, NY

Field & Main — Marshall, VA

Kalimotxo — Austin, TX

Kato — Los Angeles, CA

Le Bouillon — Omaha, NE

Le Caviste — Seattle, WA

One Legged Magpie — Red Lodge, MT

The Port of Call — Mystic, CT

The Progress — San Francisco, CA

Stems and Skins — Charleston, SC

Sway Brewing & Blending — Baileys Harbor, WI

Taconeta — El Paso, TX

Talulla — Cambridge, MA

Outstanding Bar & Best New Bar

Aldo Sohm Wine Bar — New York, NY

Ayahuasca Cantina — Dallas, TX

Bow & Arrow Brewing Co. — Albuquerque, NM

Double Chicken Please — New York, NY

Drastic Measures — Shawnee, KS

Graft Wine Shop & Wine Bar — Charleston, SC

Highball — Phoenix, AZ

Hopleaf Bar — Chicago, IL

Lady Jane — Denver, CO

Lovers Bar at Friday Saturday Sunday — Philadelphia, PA

The Mothership — Milwaukee, WI

Onyx Coffee Lab — Rogers, AR

Post Office Place — Salt Lake City, UT

Realm of the 52 Remedies — San Diego, CA

Roquette — Seattle, WA

Scotch Lodge — Portland, OR

Smuggler’s Cove — San Francisco, CA

Spoke Wine Bar — Somerville, MA

Watch Hill Proper — Prospect, KY

Wild Child Wines — Lafayette, LA

Best New Bar semifinalists include Almanac (Philadelphia), Bar Bucce (Miami), Bar Chenin (Detroit) and others across 20 nominees.

Outstanding Beverage Professionals

Zac Adcox — Kid Sister, Phoenix, AZ

Nader Asgari‑Tari — Zurito, Boston, MA

Bank Atcharawan — Jipata, Las Vegas, NV

Jack Benchakul — Endorffeine, Los Angeles, CA

Lee Campbell — Borgo, New York, NY

Andrea Ciavardini‑Royko — Jianna, Greenville, SC

Paul Einbund — The Morris, San Francisco, CA

Ryan Fletter — Barolo Grill, Denver, CO

Braithe Gill — Brennan’s, New Orleans, LA

Joel Gunderson — Heavenly Creatures, Portland, OR

Brent Kroll — Maxwell Park, Washington, D.C.

Jared May — Vida, Indianapolis, IN

Alyssa Mikiko DiPasquale — The Koji Club, Boston, MA

Celia Pellegrini — Este, Austin, TX

Taurean Philpott — Avize, Atlanta, GA

Amy Racine — La Marchande, New York, NY

June Rodil — March, Houston, TX

Sara Sergent — Alpine Distilling Social Aid & Pleasure Club, Park City, UT

Derek Stevenson — Auro, Calistoga, CA

Dan Suro‑Cipolloni & David Suro‑Piñera — Tequilas; La Jefa, Philadelphia, PA

Outstanding Cocktail Service

Anu Apte — Rob Roy, Seattle, WA

Doug Atwell — Southpaw, Baltimore, MD

Eric Bennett — Continental Drift, Birmingham, AL

Hastings Cameron — Imaginary Factory, Madison, WI

Diana Condori — Fern Bar, Kansas City, MO

Kevin Diedrich — Pacific Cocktail Haven, San Francisco, CA

Nicky Fas — Pantera, Caguas, PR

Jesse Hedberg — Club Frills, Providence, RI

McLain Hedges & Mary Allison Wright — Yacht Club, Denver, CO

Christine Kim — Service Bar, Washington, D.C.

Jason Lee — Darling, Los Angeles, CA

Miles Macquarrie — Kimball House, Atlanta, GA

Christopher Marty — Best Intentions, Chicago, IL

Mariena Mercer Boarini — Aft Cocktail Deck, Las Vegas, NV

Ivy Mix — Whoopsie Daisy, Brooklyn, NY

Kristine Nguyen — Bludorn, Houston, TX

Gabe Sanchez — Midnight Rambler, Dallas, TX

Ross Simon — Little Rituals, Phoenix, AZ

Mike Stankovich — Longfellow, Cincinnati, OH

Kate Wise — Juniper Bar, Burlington, VT

Best Chefs (by region)

The foundation released regional semifinalists for Best Chef across a dozen geographic areas—from California and New York State to the Mountain and Midwest regions. The full roster lists 20 nominees per region, featuring both well‑known figures and local standouts.

Selected regional nominees include:

Best Chef: California — Kim Alter (Nightbird, San Francisco), Dave Beran (Seline, Santa Monica), Kosuke Tada (Mijoté, San Francisco)

Best Chef: Great Lakes — Javier Bardauil (BARDA, Detroit), Thai Dang (HaiSous, Chicago)

Best Chef: Mid‑Atlantic — Matthew Adler (Cucina Morini, D.C.), Johanna Hellrigl (Ama, D.C.)

Best Chef: New York State — Vikas Khanna (Bungalow, NYC), Stefano Secchi (Rezdôra, NYC)

Best Chef: Northwest & Pacific — Melissa Miranda (Musang, Seattle), Ed Kenney (Mud Hen Water, Honolulu)

Best Chef: South — Michael Beltran (Ariete, Miami), Serigne Mbaye (Dakar NOLA, New Orleans)

Best Chef: Southwest — TJ Culp (Progress, Phoenix), Jamie Tran (Black Sheep, Las Vegas)

Best Chef: Texas — Ope Amosu (ChòpnBlọk, Houston), Masayuki Otaka (Mabo, Dallas)

Date	Event
Feb. 25, 2026	America’s Classics winners announced
Mar. 31, 2026	Restaurant & Chef nominees and Achievement Award honorees revealed
May 6, 2026	Media Award nominees announced
June 13, 2026	Media Awards (Chicago)
June 14, 2026	Impact Awards (Chicago)
June 15, 2026	Restaurant & Chef Awards — Lyric Opera of Chicago

The Restaurant and Chef ceremonies will take place in Chicago, where winners will be chosen from the nominee pools announced later in the spring.

How past Beard recognition changed careers

A James Beard nod has a track record of reshaping professional trajectories. After winning Best Chef: Southeast in 1989, Emeril Lagasse grew from a respected New Orleans chef into a national television personality and restaurateur. Rick Bayless’s early Beard awards helped cement Frontera Grill’s influence on American perceptions of Mexican regional cuisine. Nancy Silverton’s recognition for pastry work in the early 1990s accelerated interest in artisan bread; she later received top chef accolades. Similarly, David Chang and Gabrielle Hamilton used early Beard recognition as springboards to wider audiences and lasting influence.

For readers, the immediate takeaway is practical: semifinalist announcements are a cue to book ahead, plan visits, or watch for local nominees moving to finalist status. For the industry, the list highlights shifts in regional strength, culinary styles and the ongoing importance of hospitality and beverage programs in defining a restaurant’s success.

Keep an eye on the James Beard Foundation’s updates this spring for nominees and, ultimately, the winners who will shape the dining landscape through 2026 and beyond.