These chefs and restaurants are the 2026 James Beard Award winners

The James Beard Foundation revealed its 2026 award winners, recognizing excellence in American cuisine across 13 categories. Lei, a wine bar in New York’s Chinatown, took the Best New Restaurant award, while Michael Tusk of Quince in San Francisco was named Outstanding Chef. Dana Street, owner of Fore Street, Scales, and other restaurants in Portland, Maine, won Outstanding Restaurateur, and Kalaya, a southern Thai eatery in Philadelphia, earned Outstanding Restaurant honors. Adrian Torres, chef at Maximo in West University Place, Texas, received the Emerging Chef award and used his acceptance speech to emphasize his immigrant background, calling attention to the challenges faced by DACA recipients. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, who attended the ceremony at Chicago’s Lyric Opera, also highlighted the contributions of immigrants in the restaurant industry. The awards, now in their 40th year, celebrate American food culture and often serve as a launchpad for future success, with past winners like Alice Waters and Wolfgang Puck becoming household names. Winners were selected from a national pool of nominees, with geographical distinctions made across 12 regions. The James Beard Foundation, founded in 1986, continues to promote culinary innovation and discovery. Clare Reichenbach, the foundation’s CEO, reiterated its mission to celebrate American cuisine, emphasizing the awards’ role in both recognition and industry influence.