The restaurants and chefs named as semifinalists for the 2026 James Beard Awards were announced Wednesday and nearly every category had Chicago representation.
The culinary awards are set to take June 15 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.
Though the award ceremony takes place in Chicago, restaurants and chefs from around the country are considered. Nearly two dozen Chicago restaurants and chefs are semifinalists for the awards, with at least one in nearly every category.
Of the 14 categories, the only three were without Chicago culinary representation: Outstanding Bakery, Best New Bar and Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service.
“These semifinalists join a constellation of James Beard Award–recognized leaders who collectively embody the breadth of American culinary excellence,” the James Beard website says.
Nominees will be announced on March 31 and later celebrated at the ceremony in June.
Here’s a look at the Chicago restaurants and chefs who are semifinalists for this year’s James Beard Awards:
Outstanding Restauranteur
- Frank Callero, Joe Flamm, and Steven Zaleski, Day Off Group (Rose Mary, il Carciofo, and BLVD Steakhouse)
Outstanding Chef
- Diana Davila, Mi Tocaya Antojeria
- Zachary Engel, Galit
Outstanding Restaurant
- EL Ideas
- Kasama
Emerging Chef
- Nicolai Mlodinow, Class Act
- Bailey Sullivan, Monteverde Restaurant & Pastificio
Best New Restaurant
- Nadu
- Nic & Junior’s
Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker
- Courtney Kenyon-Snider, Obélix
Outstanding Hospitality
- Daisies
Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program
- Brasero
Outstanding Bar
- Hopleaf Bar
Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service
- Christopher Marty, Best Intentions
Best Chef (for the Great Lakes region)
- Thai Dang, HaiSous
- Danny Espinoza, Santa Masa Tamaleria
- Norman Fenton, Cariño
- Christopher Jung and Erling Wu-Bower, Maxwells Trading
- Mari Katsumura and Adam Sindler, SHŌ
- Nick Kleutsch and James Sanders, Sanders BBQ Supply Co.
- Rishi Kumar and Zubair Mohajir, Mirra
- Ben Lustbader and Sarah Mispagel, Loaf Lounge
- Jacob Potashnick, Feld
A list of all the semifinalists from around the country can be found here.
