The James Beard Foundation has introduced the record of 2026 Restaurant and Chef Awards semifinalists. Black-owned companies proceed to carry their very own amongst trade leaders.
The James Beard Foundation presents the award to honor high culinary expertise on the ceremony that some think about the culinary world’s equal of the Academy Awards.
Some nominees embody Leslie Corey Wells, co-founder of Pizzeria Verità in Burlington, Vermont. The versatile entrepreneur made the list for the Outstanding Restaurateur award.
Derek Stevenson, Lead Sommelier at Auro in Calistoga, California, was nominated for Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service. Lee Campbell, Wine Director and Sommelier at NYC’s Borgo Restaurant, can also be a contender for a similar honor.
Eric Bennett, co-owner of Contentinel Drift in Birmingham, Alabama, is a semi-finalist for Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service.
The Best Chef award is split by areas. Jeffrey Harris of the New Orleans-inspired Nolia Kitchen in Cincinnati, Ohio, competes within the Great Lakes area. Representing the Mid-Atlantic are OmaTate and Cybille St. Aude-Tate, co-owners of Honeysuckle in Philadelphia.
New Yorkers lead in nominations. Kwame Onwuachi, the Nigerian American chef behind Brooklyn’s Caribbean eatery Tatiana, earned a nomination for Outstanding Chef. Rasheeda Purdie is up for the Emerging Chef award. Purdie owns Ramen By Ra in Manhattan’s East Village. Also within the East Village is Kabawa, a Caribbean eatery competing for Best New Restaurant.
In a joint assertion, Restaurant and Chef Awards Committee Co-Chairs Lauren Saria and Erinn Tucker-Oluwole congratulated the semifinalists.
“From beloved neighborhood eating places to boundary-pushing bars, this yr’s semifinalists replicate the innovation, regional variety, and storytelling that makes American eating so compelling.”
A James Beard award is usually a game-changer for eating places. Nominees and semifinalists typically see elevated visibility. The group studies {that a} 2025 survey discovered that 96% of semifinalists saw a positive impact on their companies after receiving James Beard recognition.
The James Beard Foundation will announce finalists on-line on Mar. 31. The James Beard Award ceremony, introduced by Capital One, will happen on Jun. 15 in Chicago.
RELATED CONTENT: An Executive Chef Dishes Out the Secret to Success in the Culinary Business
About The Author
