by Jameelah Mullen
January 23, 2026
Foodies and culinary artisans, come to the entrance.
The James Beard Basis has introduced the record of 2026 Restaurant and Chef Awards semifinalists. Black-owned companies proceed to carry their very own amongst business leaders.
The James Beard Basis presents the award to honor high culinary expertise on the ceremony that some contemplate the culinary world’s equal of the Academy Awards.
Some nominees embrace Leslie Corey Wells, co-founder of Pizzeria Verità in Burlington, Vermont. The versatile entrepreneur made the record for the Excellent Restaurateur award.
Derek Stevenson, Lead Sommelier at Auro in Calistoga, California, was nominated for Excellent Skilled 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 Excellent Skilled in Cocktail Service.
The Greatest Chef award is split by areas. Jeffrey Harris of the New Orleans-inspired Nolia Kitchen in Cincinnati, Ohio, competes within the Nice 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 Excellent Chef. Rasheeda Purdie is up for the Rising Chef award. Purdie owns Ramen By Ra in Manhattan’s East Village. Additionally within the East Village is Kabawa, a Caribbean eatery competing for Greatest 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 12 months’s semifinalists mirror the innovation, regional range, and storytelling that makes American eating so compelling.”
A James Beard award is usually a game-changer for eating places. Nominees and semifinalists usually see elevated visibility. The group experiences {that a} 2025 survey discovered that 96% of semifinalists noticed a optimistic affect on their companies after receiving James Beard recognition.
The James Beard Basis will announce finalists on-line on Mar. 31. The James Beard Award ceremony, offered by Capital One, will happen on Jun. 15 in Chicago.
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