Inside the 2026 James Beard Awards®, Presented by American Express and Resy

On the Red Carpet

Before awards were handed out, the red carpet outside the Lyric Opera filled with some of the biggest names in the food world from around the country.

Inside the Ceremony

Hosted by Gail Simmons, the ceremony honored outstanding achievement across the restaurant industry while bringing together nominees, winners, and supporters from coast to coast.

This year’s event celebrated four decades of the James Beard Foundation’s work championing independent restaurants and the people behind them.

Beyond the awards themselves, the evening offered a reminder of the passion and perseverance behind the restaurants being recognized as winners reflected on the journeys that brought them to the this stage.

Chef Jesse Ito (Royal Sushi Omakase, Philadelphia), who won Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic, recalled his start in the industry: “This all started 23 years ago when I was a dishwasher at my parents’ small Japanese BYO in southern Jersey, and I never would have dreamed I’d be standing here today.”

Chef Evan Hennessy (Stages, Dover, NH), who claimed Best Chef: Northeast, encouraged the audience to dream bigger: “If your dreams don’t scare you, you’re not dreaming big enough.”

Chef Nok Suntaranon, whose restaurant Kalaya took home the top prize for Outstanding Restaurant in America, had a message for young girls with big ambitions: “Just keep dreaming and keep pushing it through. It will happen.”

“And it’s not ‘too spicy,’” she closed, in one of the more memorable lines of the night. “It’s flavorful!”

Celebration at Union Station

After the final awards were presented, the crowd headed to Chicago’s historic Union Station for the official after party.

The evening featured a walk-around tasting reception showcasing James Beard Award® winners, nominees, and semifinalists from across the country, like Brandon Carter (Common Thread and Farm), Fasicka and Patrick Hicks (Smoke’N Ash BBQ), Lordfer Lalicon (Kaya), and David Utterback (Yoshitomo).

Inside the Resy Piano Bar

As part of the official James Beard Awards® after-party, attendees were invited into Resy’s bespoke piano bar experience inside Union Station.

The space featured live music, lounge seating, cocktails from Please Don’t Tell (PDT), wine from Kosta Browne, and food from James Beard Award Winner® Chef Mashama Bailey (The Grey Restaurant), creating a gathering place for nominees, winners, and guests throughout the evening.

American Express and Resy extend their congratulations to all the winners and finalists! For more information, check out The Resy Guide to the 2026 James Beard Awards® Winners.