While the sports world is chasing hoop dreams this week, foodies are obsessed with their own championships—the most prestigious prize in the American culinary industry. On Tuesday, March 31, the James Beard Foundation announced its own bracket card, the finalists for the 2026 chef and restaurant awards that found Houston chefs/restaurants in six key races to the Oscars of the food world.
Hugo Ortega and Tracy Vaught of H-Town Restaurant Group were among the finalists for one of the top awards, Outstanding Restaurateur, for their work at Hugo’s, Xochi and Urbe. The award recognizes leaders who use their restaurants to build a sense of community and integrity in restaurant operations. Ortega is already a Beard Award winner for Best Chef Southwest in 2017.
Adrian Torres, chef at Maximo in the West U neighborhood, found himself in the finalist circle of nominees for Emerging Chef, recognizing leadership and contribution to the industry in years to come.
For Best New Restaurant, the Houston hotspot Agnes and Sherman from chef Nick Wong and partner Lisa Lee, was among the finalists named for Best New Restaurant.
June Rodil, the Houston sommelier who is CEO and partner of Goodnight Hospitality (Rosie Cannonball, March, The Marigold Club and Montrose Cheese & Wine) was a finalist for Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service for her work at the Michelin-star March.
And three Houston chefs were tapped as finalists for Best Chef Texas: Ope Amosu for ChopnBlok and partners Evelyn Garcia and Henry Lu of Jun. They will compete against four other Best Chef Texas finalists: Scott Girling of Osteria Il Muro in Denton, Gabe Padilla and Melissa Padilla of Café Piro in Socorro, and Finn Walter of The Nicolett in Lubbock.
Other Texas nominees include Mixtli in San Antonio (Outstanding Restaurant) and Tavel Bristol-Joseph of Nicosi in San Antonio and Maggie Huff of Lucia in Dallas (both nominated for Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker).
The James Beard Foundation also announced its 2026 Impact Awards honorees, recognizing “changemakers actively working to push forward standards that create a more equitable, sustainable, and economically viable restaurant industry and food system for producers, workers and consumers alike.” Houston’s Southern Smoke Foundation, founded by chef Chris Shepherd and Lindsey Brown (executive director), is one of this year’s honorees.
The competition comes to a head at the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards Ceremony on Monday, June 15 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Visit jamesbeard.org for the full list of finalists.
