“Tonight, I refuse to let fear be the headline.”
So said Adrian Torres, who was named Emerging Chef by the James Beard Foundation on Monday in Chicago. Torres, chef of the Houston restaurant Maximo, was the first James Beard Award winner of the night at the annual award show, sometimes called the Oscars of food, held at the Lyric Opera House in Chicago.
Indeed, the awards show has become part celebration of the immigrant culture that shapes American food, and part fashion show.
The 2,000-ish attendees of the event shined up in a way that restaurant people rarely have the opportunity to do, tapping leading designers and styles that reflect their heritage.
The ceremony was also designed to create space for joy, despite a running theme throughout the show about the ongoing deportation push by the Trump Administration and the fear that has remained a black cloud over the restaurant industry.
Torres was among many who proudly proclaimed their roots. He said there was a time when his mother, after emigrating from Mexico, warned him and his sister to never discuss their legal status or talk about their immigration journey.
“I am proud to be the son of immigrants. I am proud to be an immigrant. I am proud to be a DACA recipient,” said Torres, who noted that his family drove to the event from Texas rather than fly, “because that’s the reality of immigrant families.”
Dana Street, who was named Outstanding Restaurateur for his multi concept group in Portland, Maine (Fore Street, Scales, Standard Baking Co. and more), called the Administration’s efforts to hunt people down and deport them “despicable.
“I hope the American people in general will realize their mistake, because they’re responsible as well,” he said.
Others also thanked their immigrant parents for helping to create the opportunities that brought the award winners to the stage.
Serigne Mbaye of Dakar Nola in New Orleans, who was named Best Chef: South, said he came to the U.S. from Senegal 18 years ago and couldn’t speak English. His mother opened a restaurant in Harlem to give others from Africa a taste of home.
“She built something real out of that need,” he said. It gave her a lifeline to Senegal and it gave him the opportunity to learn about different cultures and cuisines.
The Thai restaurant Kalaya in Philadelphia was named Outstanding Restaurant. Founded in 2019 by Chutatip “Nok” Suntaranon, a previous Beard award winner for Best Chef Mid-Atlantic, she was also a semifinalist last year for Outstanding Restaurant.
The Best New Restaurant was Lei in New York City, a 28-seat wine bar in Manhattan’s Chinatown.
California won big this year.
For the region, David Baren of Seline in Santa Monica was named Best Chef: California.
And the Golden State brought home several national awards. Michael Tusk of the restaurant Quince in San Francisco was named Outstanding Chef. Tusk, who is also known for the restaurants Cotogna and Verjus, said he was surprised by the nomination, saying he feared he was being put out to pasture.
Kevin Diedrich of Pacific Cocktail Haven in San Francisco was named Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service. Kato, in Los Angeles, won for Outstanding Wine and other beverages.
And Providence, also in Los Angeles, won for Outstanding Hospitality. Donato Poto, a partner in the restaurant with chef Michael Cimarusti, said the restaurant will celebrate its 21st anniversary this week, which “in restaurant years is somewhere between middle age and a miracle.”
Los Angeles chef and restaurateur Nancy Silverton, whose empire includes the growing Mozza concepts, Chi Spacca and more, was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Silverton made it clear the honor was not a sign that she was finished. "Mark my words, I will be back here, or there (pointing to the audience) to receive Lifetime Achievement 2.0."
And the Humanitarian of the Year honor went to No Us Without You, a Los Angeles organization co-founded by Othón Nolasko and Damián Diaz to provide food relief to hospitality workers impacted by the pandemic. During the ICE raids, the organization pivoted to serve families afraid come out. It also helps support hospitality worker during times of crisis.
But the awards spotlight also shined on a number of smaller markets.
The Best Chef: Northeast award went to Evan Hennessey of Stages in Dover, New Hampshire, who said of his town, “We may be only 34,000 people, but damn we are big.”
Hennessey said his award represents all the small businesses and small towns, with their farmers, fishing industry, foragers and others who do the work before chefs even see the food.
He urged those in the industry to dream big.
“If your dreams don’t scare you, they’re not big enough,” said Hennessey.
Here are the 2026 winners of the James Beard Awards:
Emerging Chef: Adrian Torres, Maximo, West University Place, Texas
Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker: Susan Bae, Moon Rabbit, Washington, D.C.
Outstanding Bakery: Wild Crumb, Bozeman, Montana
Best New Bar: Loma, Providence, Rhode Island
Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service: Kevin Diedrich, Pacific Cocktail Haven, San Francisco
Outstanding Wine and Other Beverage: Kato, Los Angeles
Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service: Lee Campbell, Borgo, New York
Outstanding Bar: Scotch Lodge, Portland, Oregon.
Best New Restaurant: Lei, New York City
Outstanding Hospitality: Providence, Los Angeles
Outstanding Restaurateur: Dana Street of Fore Street, Scales, Standard Baking Co. and more
Outstanding Chef: Michael Tusk, Quince, San Francisco
Outstanding Restaurant: Kalaya in Philadelphia
Best Chef Great Lakes: Jacob Potashnick, Feld, Chicago
Best Chef Southwest: Sarah Thompson, Casa Playa, Las Vegas
Best Chef Mountain: Penelope Wong, Yuan Wonton, Denver
Best Chef Northeast: Evan Hennessey, Stages, Dover, New Hampshire
Best Chef Northwest and Pacific: Ryan Roadhouse, Nodoguro, Portland, Oregon
Best Chef Midwest: Loryn Nalic, Balkan Treat Box, Webster Groves, Missouri
Best Chef South: Serigne Mbaye, Dakar NOLA, New Orleans
Best Chef Texas: Evelyn Garcia and Henry Lu of JUN in Houston
Best Chef New York State: Hooni Kim, Meju, Queens, New York
Best Chef Mid-Atlantic: Jesse Ito, Royal Sushi & Izakaya, Philadelphia
Best Chef Southeast: Taylor Montgomery, Montgomery Sky Farm, Leicester, North Carolina
Best Chef California: David Baren, Seline, Santa Monica
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