The James Beard Foundation announced its 2026 Restaurant and Chef Award semifinalists on Wednesday and nearly two dozen Chicago chefs, restaurants and bars are in the running for a coveted nomination.
The awards, marking their 36th year, are among the most prestigious in the U.S. culinary industry, often referred to as the Oscars of the food world.
“For four decades, the Foundation has recognized culinary excellence while championing the independent chefs and restaurants that are vital to our communities, economy, and culture. It is an honor to celebrate the 2026 semifinalists, whose work reflects the incredible dynamism, talent, and achievement defining our industry today,” said Clare Reichenbach, CEO of the James Beard Foundation.
Chicago has semifinalists in almost every major category this year, including nine for Best Chef: Great Lakes, a tier once again seeing strong representation. However, the city did not have any semifinalists in the categories of Outstanding Bakery, Best New Bar or Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service.
Recently awarded two Michelin stars, Kasama — whose chefs Genie Kwon and Tim Flores won a 2023 James Beard Award for Best Chef: Great Lakes — is up for Outstanding Restaurant, along with EL Ideas in Chicago’s Douglas Park neighborhood.
Semifinalist nods for the Outstanding Chef category include Diana Dávila of Mi Tocaya Antojería and Zachary Engel of Galit.
Meanwhile, Daisies, from chef Joe Frillman and pastry chef Leigh Omilinsky, is a semifinalist for Outstanding Hospitality.
Chicago has two contenders for Best New Restaurant: River North’s Nic & Junior’s, which opened last May, and Nadu, the latest from chef Sujan Sarkar of the Michelin-starred Indienne.
At Nadu, Sarkar and chef Sanchit Sahu’s menu celebrates regional India and how food varies from coast to coast, embracing the complexity of Indian flavors while maintaining an effortless introduction for those unfamiliar with the cuisine. Meanwhile, Nic & Juniors is blurring the line between a neighborhood restaurant and a fine dining one with its hand-made pastas and Italian fare, but with bold Brazilian flavors. Chef Junior Borges was a James Beard Award semifinalist in 2023.
Once again, Chicago continues to see strong representation in the Best Chef: Great Lakes regional category, which highlights chefs from Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio. This year’s Chicago semifinalists are Thai Dang of HaiSous; Danny Espinoza of Santa Masa Tamaleria; Christopher Jung and Erling Wu-Bower of Maxwells Trading; Mari Katsumura and Adam Sindler of SHŌ; Nick Kleutsch and James Sanders of Sanders BBQ Supply Co.; Rishi Kumar and Zubair Mohajir of Mirra; Ben Lustbader and Sarah Mispagel of Loaf Lounge; Norman Fenton of Cariño and Jacob Potashnick of Feld.
Many of this year’s semifinalists have received other accolades in recent years. In 2025, Cariño retained its Michelin star for its creative, Latin-inspired tasting menu and taco omakase. Feld also earned its first Michelin Star in 2025 and a Michelin Green Star for sustainability for Potashnick’s farm-focused, tasting menu concept.
And in last year’s Tribune Critic’s Choice Food Awards, critic Louisa Kung Liu Chu named Sanders BBQ Supply Co. Chicago’s Best Barbecue Restaurant. Maxwell’s Trading won high praise and was named Best New Restaurant for its “deeply delicious, Asian-influenced and intimately American experience.”
At last year’s James Beard Awards, Noah Sandoval of Oriole took home the Best Chef: Great Lakes award, while Kumiko won for Outstanding Bar. The South Side institution Lem’s Bar-B-Q was also named an “America’s Classic.”
Restaurant and Chef nominees will be announced on March 31, and winners will be celebrated at the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards Ceremony on June 15 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.
Full list of Chicago’s Beard semifinalists:
Outstanding Restaurateur: Frank Callero, Joe Flamm and Steven Zaleski, Day Off Group (Rose Mary, il Carciofo and BLVD Steakhouse)
Outstanding Chef: Diana Dávila, Mi Tocaya Antojeria; Zachary Engel, Galit
Outstanding Restaurant: Kasama; EL Ideas
Emerging Chef: Nicolai Mlodinow, Class Act; Bailey Sullivan, Monteverde Restaurant & Pastificio
Best New Restaurant: Nadu; Nic & Junior’s
Outstanding Pastry Chef/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 Great Lakes: 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
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