Congratulations to the 2026 James Beard Restaurant and Chef Award nominees, and the Impact, Lifetime Achievement, and Humanitarian of the Year Award honorees!

For nearly four decades, the James Beard Awards® presented by Capital One have served as the pinnacle of culinary recognition in the U.S. The Restaurant and Chef nominees recognized today embody exceptional talent and leadership within the independent restaurant industry. Winners will be revealed at the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards Ceremony on Monday, June 15, 2026 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.

Inaugurated in 2025, the Impact Awards is our newest Awards program, born out of the Foundation’s impact work and advocacy policy priorities. They recognize changemakers actively working to push for standards that create a more equitable, sustainable, and economically viable restaurant industry and food system. Impact Award honorees will be acknowledged at a ceremony in Chicago on Sunday, June 14, as well as on stage at the Restaurant and Chef Awards ceremony, along with the Lifetime Achievement and Humanitarian of the Year Award honorees.

Check out the nominees and honorees below!

Restaurant and Chef Award Nominees

Outstanding Restaurateur

• Srijith Gopinathan and Ayesha Thapar, Cal-India Collective (Ettan, Copra, Eylan and Little Blue Door), Palo Alto, San Francisco, Menlo Park, Los Altos, 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

Outstanding Chef

• 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 Ra, New York, NY
• Bailey Sullivan, Monteverde Restaurant & Pastificio, Chicago, IL
• Adrian Torres, Maximo, West University Place, TX

Best New Restaurant

• 1033 Omakase, Milwaukee, WI
• Agnes and Sherman, Houston, TX
• Anjin, Kansas City, MO
• Emmett, Philadelphia, PA
• Ki, Los Angeles, CA
• Lei, New York, NY
• Maison Bar à Vins, Washington, D.C.
• Merci, Charleston, SC
• Robin, St. Louis, MO
• Tamba, Las Vegas, NV

Outstanding Bakery

• 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

Outstanding Hospitality

• 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 Restaurant, Marshall, VA
• Kato, Los Angeles, CA
• The Port of Call, Mystic, CT
• Sway Brewing & Blending, Baileys Harbor, WI

Outstanding Bar

• Bow & Arrow Brewing Co., Albuquerque, NM
• The Lovers Bar at Friday Saturday Sunday, Philadelphia, PA
• Onyx Coffee Lab, Rogers, AR
• Scotch Lodge, Portland, OR
• Smuggler's Cove, San Francisco, CA

Best New Bar

• 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 coffee bar, 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)

Best Chef: California

• Dave Beran, Seline, Santa Monica, CA
• Harrison Cheney, Sons & Daughters, San Francisco, CA
• Sarah Cooper and Alan Hsu, Sun Moon Studio, Oakland, CA
• Kwang Uh, Baroo, Los Angeles, CA
• Daisy Ryan, Bell's, Los Alamos, CA

Best Chef: Great Lakes (IL, IN, MI, OH)

• Vinnie Cimino, Cordelia, Cleveland, OH
• Sarah Dworak, Sudova, Cincinnati, OH
• Norman Fenton, Cariño, Chicago, IL
• Jeffery 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
• Shigeyuki Furukawa, Kado No Mise, Minneapolis, MN
• Loryn Nalic, Balkan Treat Box, Webster Groves, MO
• Nick Bognar, Sado, Pavilion, St. Louis, 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 & 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 and 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)

• Ana Castro, Acamaya, New Orleans, LA
• Bryce Bonsack, Rocca, Tampa, FL
• Maria La Mota and Chason Spencer, Chancho King, Jacksonville, FL
• Serigne Mbaye, Dakar NOLA, New Orleans, LA
• Jason Paul, Heirloom at The 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

Best Chef: Texas

• 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