James Beard Winners: Kalaya Restaurant, Michael Tusk Chef

The James Beard Foundation announced its 2026 Restaurant and Chef Award winners Monday night at a ceremony in Chicago, with the southern Thai restaurant Kalaya in Philadelphia winning the top honor for Outstanding Restaurant. The awards, often described as the Oscars of the American food industry, also recognized Michael Tusk of Quince in San Francisco as Outstanding Chef.

The event at the Lyric Opera House highlighted themes of immigration and community. Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, a speaker at the ceremony, referenced the state's many immigrant communities and said they have been "under siege by the president of the United States," a remark that drew applause. Adrian Torres, named Emerging Chef for his work at Maximo in Houston, spoke about his background as a DACA recipient and the son of immigrants, delivering part of his acceptance speech in Spanish.

Other major winners included Dana Street, owner of the Fore Street group in Portland, Maine, for Outstanding Restaurateur, and Lei, a wine bar in New York City's Chinatown, for Best New Restaurant. The foundation also presented numerous regional Best Chef awards, including Taylor Montgomery of Montgomery Sky Farm in...