Houston restaurants, chefs named finalists in James Beard Awards, recognizing culinary achievement
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Multiple Houston chefs and restaurants have been named as finalists for the 2026 James Beard Awards.
The James Beard Awards, which recognizes talent and achievement in the culinary arts, has named four Houston finalists across its nationwide categories, as well as two Houston nominees for Best Chef in Texas.
Here are all of the Houston nominees in the national categories:
- Best New Restaurant: Agnes and Sherman
- Emerging Chef: Adrian Torres, Maximo
- Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service: June Rodil, March
- Outstanding Restaurateur: Hugo Ortega and Tracy Vaught, H-Town Restaurant Group
In 2020, Localish covered Hugo Ortega, a 2026 nominee for Outstanding Restaurateur, and his culinary journey in Houston.
In the Best Chef in Texas category, two Houston nominees have been named as finalists. Here are all of the nominees in the category:
- Ope Amosu, ChòpnBlok, Houston
- Evelyn Garcia and Henry Lu, JUN Houston
- Scott Girling, Osteria Il Muro, Denton
- Gabe Padilla and Melissa Padilla, Café Piro, Socorro
- Finn Walter, The Nicolett, Lubbock
The James Beard Foundation, which runs the prestigious culinary achievement awards, also presents the Impact Awards, which recognizes "changemakers actively working to push for standards that create a more equitable, sustainable, and economically viable restaurant industry and food system for producers, workers, and consumers alike."
One of the Impact Award honorees this year is the Houston-based Southern Smoke Foundation, which provides access to no-cost mental health services through its program, Behind You, as well as emergency relief funding to food and beverage workers across the country.
The Souther Smoke Foundation was founded in 2017 by executive director Lindsey Brown and chef Chris Shepherd, who won the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Southwest in 2014.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, ABC13 reported how the foundation provided more than $400,000 to unemployed hospitality workers who were laid off or furloughed due to the lockdown.
According to the James Beard Foundation, Souther Smoke Foundation has, to date, granted more than $16 million to food and beverage workers nationwide and provided access to more than 10,000 no-cost counseling sessions in 12 states and Washington, D.C.
The winners in the competitive categories will be announced at the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards ceremony at the Lyric Opera of Chicago on June 15.
