The 2026 James Beard Award nominations just dropped, and Asian and AAPI culinary stars are stirring up excitement and wok-ing their way into the spotlight!

From unforgettable cookbook memoirs to expertly crafted omakase experiences, these trailblazers continue to reshape the culinary landscape. They are serving unforgettable stories on the page and bold flavors on every plate. We are beyond excited to spotlight the chefs, authors, and hospitality visionaries who earned a spot on this year’s prestigious list. 

Get ready to meet the standout talents who are truly raising the steaks for food culture everywhere!

Restaurant and Chef Award Nominees

Outstanding Restaurateur

• Srijith Gopinathan and Ayesha Thapar, Cal-India Collective (Ettan, Copra, Eylan and Little Blue Door), Palo Alto, San Francisco, Menlo Park, Los Altos, CA
  

• Meherwan Irani and Molly Irani, Chai Pani Restaurant Group (Chai Pani and Botiwalla), Asheville, NC

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Outstanding Chef

• Niki Nakayama, n/naka, Los Angeles, CA

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Outstanding Restaurant presented by Acqua Panna® Natural Spring Water

• Kalaya, Philadelphia, PA

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Best New Restaurant

• Lei, New York, NY

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Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker

• Neale Asato, Asato Family Shop, Honolulu, HI
  

• Susan Bae, Moon Rabbit, Washington, D.C.

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Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program

• Kato, Los Angeles, CA

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Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service

• Jack Benchakul, endorffeine coffee bar, Los Angeles, CA

• June Rodil, March, Houston, TX

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Best Chefs (by region)

Best Chef: California

• Sarah Cooper and Alan Hsu, Sun Moon Studio, Oakland, CA
  

• Kwang Uh, Baroo, Los Angeles, CA

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Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic (DC, DE, MD, NJ, PA, VA)

• Jesse Ito, Royal Sushi & Izakaya, Philadelphia, PA

• Suresh Sundas, Tapori, Washington, D.C.

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Best Chef: Midwest (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD, WI)

• Shigeyuki Furukawa, Kado No Mise, Minneapolis, MN

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Best Chef: Mountain (CO, ID, MT, UT, WY)

• Penelope Wong, Yuan Wonton, Denver, CO

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Best Chef: New York State

• Hooni Kim, Meju, Queens, NY
  

• Ayesha Nurdjaja, Shukette, New York, NY

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Best Chef: Northeast (CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT)

• Thomas Takashi Cooke, Izakaya Minato, Portland, ME

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Best Chef: Northwest and Pacific (AK, HI, OR, WA)

• Thomas Pisha-Duffly, Gado Gado, Portland, OR

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Best Chef: Southwest (AZ, NM, NV, OK)

• Jeff Chanchaleune, Bar Sen, Oklahoma City, OK

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Best Chef: Texas

• Evelyn Garcia and Henry Lu, JŪN, Houston, TX

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Book Award Nominees

Baking and Desserts

• Baking and the Meaning of Life: How to Find Joy in 100 Recipes
  Helen Goh
  (Abrams)
  

• Mali Bakes: Make and decorate the retro cakes of your dreams
  Patchanida Chimkire
  (Smith Street Books)

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Beverage with Recipes

• Soju Party: How to Drink (and Eat!) Like a Korean
  Irene Yoo
  (Alfred A. Knopf) 

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General

• Flavour Heroes: 15 Modern Pantry Ingredients to Amplify Your Cooking
  Gurdeep Loyal
  (Quadrille)

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International

• THAI: Anywhere and Everywhere
  Nat Thaipun
  (Hardie Grant Publishing)

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Literary Writing

• Dirty Kitchen: A Memoir of Food and Family
  Jill Damatac
  (One Signal Publishers/Simon & Schuster)

• The Last Sweet Bite: Stories and Recipes of Culinary Heritage Lost and Found
  Michael Shaikh
  (Crown) 

Professional and Restaurant

• Cook Like a King: Recipes from My California Chinese Kitchen
  Melissa King with JJ Goode
  (Ten Speed Press)

• House of Nanking: Family Recipes from San Francisco's Favorite Chinese Restaurant
  Kathy Fang and Peter Fang
  (Harry N. Abrams)

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Single Subject

• Homemade Ramen
  Sho Spaeth
  (W.W. Norton & Company)

• The Japanese Art of Pickling & Fermenting: Preserving vegetables and family traditions
  Yoko Nakazawa
  (Smith Street Books) 

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U.S. Foodways

• Umma: A Korean Mom's Kitchen Wisdom and 100 Family Recipes
  Sarah Ahn and Nam Soon Ahn
  (America's Test Kitchen)

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Vegetable-Focused Cooking

• Dal Chawal: 85 Vegetarian Indian Recipes Combining the Power of Dal and Rice
  Sapna Punjabi
  (Hardie Grant Books)

• The Korean Vegan: Homemade: Recipes and Stories from My Kitchen
  Joanne Lee Molinaro
  (Avery)

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Visuals

• The Japanese Art of Pickling & Fermenting: Preserving vegetables and family traditions
  Michelle Mackintosh with Meryl Batlle, Rochelle Eagle, and Yoko Nakazawa
  (Smith Street Books) 
• MUMBAI: A Journey Through Its Kitchens, Streets, and Stories
  Sri Bodanapu, Rushina Munshaw Ghildiyal, and Bhavya Pansari, with Nandini Thirani
  (Heirloom Project)

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Journalism Award Nominees

Dining and Travel

• "Rising Up: Hong Kong Looks Inward to Reinvent Itself"
  Francis Lam
  Conde Nast Traveler

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Foodways

• "The hunt for the bean pie street sellers of legend, and how this dessert is a symbol of liberation for many Black Muslims"
  Ahmed Ali Akbar <- Pakistani author
  Chicago Tribune

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Home Cooking

• "Beef Chow Fun: Pride of the Wok"
  David Yu
  Cook's Illustrated

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Personal Essay

• "Seeds of Diaspora"
  Angie Kang
  High Country News

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Personal Essay with Recipes

• "The Blueberry Oatmeal That Got Us Through Grief, Then Birth"
  Hana Asbrink and Hali Bey Ramdene
  Bon Appétit

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Win or lose, these incredible nominees have already proven that Asian and AAPI excellence remains a powerful force in the food world. They continue to push boundaries, honor tradition, and remind us that some of life’s best stories begin around the table. 

We are cheering these icons all the way to the winners' circle because their impact on the industry is un-pho-gettable. Keep your eyes on these culinary stars as they continue feeding our minds, souls, and stomachs one unforgettable dish at a time.

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