Over 100 Finalists Named for 2026 James Beard Awards

The James Beard Foundation announced more than 100 finalists on Tuesday for its 2026 Restaurant and Chef Awards, recognizing top talent across the United States in categories spanning outstanding restaurateurs, chefs, new restaurants, and beverage programs. The awards, often called the Oscars of the food industry, highlight excellence in independent dining and will culminate in a ceremony on June 15 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, where winners will be revealed.

In the national Outstanding Restaurateur category, five finalists were named, including Dana Street of Portland, Maine, who founded Fore Street, Scales, and Standard Baking Co. Street's inclusion underscores the growing national profile of Maine's culinary scene. Other contenders include Srijith Gopinathan and Ayesha Thapar of the CalIndia Collective in California; Meherwan Irani and Molly Irani of the Chai Pani Restaurant Group in Asheville, North Carolina; Donald Link and Stephen Stryjewski of the Link Restaurant Group in New Orleans; and Hugo Ortega and Tracy Vaught of the H-Town Restaurant Group in Houston.

The Outstanding Chef category features five finalists: Gilberto Cetina of Holbox in Los Angeles; Niki Nakayama...