Here Are the 2026 James Beard Restaurant Award Winners
The New York Times • • entertainment
Key Points:
- The James Beard Awards, a prestigious annual event in the restaurant industry since 1991, were held Monday night in Chicago, featuring a blend of culinary honors and political statements.
- Philadelphia’s Kalaya won the Outstanding Restaurant award, while Michael Tusk of San Francisco’s Quince and Cotogna received Outstanding Chef, and Dana Street of Portland, Maine, was named Outstanding Restaurateur; Lei in Manhattan’s Chinatown was recognized as Best New Restaurant.
- Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, seeking a third term, praised nominees and Chicago’s Smyth restaurant, while highlighting the state’s immigrant communities and criticizing the U.S. president’s policies, which drew strong audience approval.
- Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson also spoke at the event, affirming the city’s resilience against authoritarianism with a message of defiance and solidarity.
