James Beard Awards 2026 crown Lei, Quince and Kalaya

CHICAGO, June 16, 2026 — The James Beard Foundation named its 2026 Restaurant and Chef Award winners on Monday, with Lei, a wine bar in New York's Chinatown, taking Best New Restaurant. The ceremony drew about 2,000 chefs, restaurateurs and culinary figures to the Lyric Opera of Chicago.

Often called the Oscars of the food world, the James Beard Awards carry weight across the industry, with past honorees citing a "Beard bump" in business after winning. This year's national prizes spanned both coasts and several cities in between.

Top 2026 James Beard Award winners

Michael Tusk of Quince in San Francisco won Outstanding Chef, and the southern Thai restaurant Kalaya in Philadelphia was named Outstanding Restaurant. Dana Street, who owns Fore Street, Scales and other restaurants in Portland, Maine, won Outstanding Restaurateur.

Adrian Torres of Maximo in West University Place, Texas, won Emerging Chef. Torres, whose parents immigrated from Mexico, used his acceptance to reflect on his immigrant roots, saying that for years "fear was our story."

An industry milestone

The awards arrive as the foundation marks four decades. "We are singularly American ... and we celebrate American food culture," said Clare Reichenbach, chief executive officer of the James Beard Foundation, in remarks before the event.

Founded in 1986 and named for the cookbook author often called America's first foodie, the foundation has handed out the awards since 1991. Honorees from past years include Alice Waters, Wolfgang Puck, Emeril Lagasse and Bobby Flay.

Where to find the full list

Beyond the headline categories, the program also recognized chefs across regional Best Chef categories and other honors. The complete roster of winners is published by the James Beard Foundation.

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