Maine has 2 James Beard Award finalists
The Portland Press Herald • • entertainment
Key Points:
- Two Maine chefs, Dana Street and Thomas Takashi Cooke, advanced to the finalist stage in the 2026 James Beard Awards for Outstanding Restaurateur and Best Chef: Northeast, respectively.
- Cooke emphasized the hard work of his entire team at Izakaya Minato and downplayed individual credit, highlighting the collective effort behind their success.
- Last year, no Maine semifinalists became finalists for the first time in 11 years, but this year several Maine chefs and bakeries made the semifinalist list, including Night Moves Bread and others competing for Best Chef: Northeast.
- The 2026 James Beard Award ceremony will take place on June 15 in Chicago, but Cooke will miss the event to attend a World Cup match in Dallas with his son, prioritizing this rare personal opportunity over the awards ceremony.
- Maine had two James Beard winners in 2024, both from Portland bakeries, underscoring the state's strong culinary presence in the national awards.
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