The James Beard Awards are considered the Oscars of the food and drink scene in the United States for a reason!
Every year, the James Beard Foundation works its way through a lengthy list of potential winners, starting with a preliminary list of nominees in January, a shortlist in April, and finally, a winner for each category is announced in mid-June.
To be able to claim a nomination for a James Beard Award, let alone a win, is enough to alter the trajectory of a chef’s career or catapult a small restaurant into the national spotlight!
This year, the James Beard Foundation will be having its 36th annual Awards ceremony, and the District’s food scene will be represented with four nominees!
What D.C. chefs or restaurants are on the shortlist for the 2026 James Beard Award?
There are only four nominees from the District that remain in contention for a 2026 James Beard Award, and those nominees are:
- Best New Restaurant: Maison Bar à Vins
- Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker: Susan Bae, Moon Rabbit
- Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service: Brent Kroll, Maxwell Park
- Best Chef (Mid-Atlantic Region): Suresh Sundash, Tapori
Notable takeaways
While the D.C. food scene has been dealt a few blows to its ego (like its only 3 Michelin-Star restaurant losing a star or one of its oldest Michelin-Starred restaurants closing this past December), it’s seemingly making strides to reestablish its reputation as a foodie hub.
While the District has unfortunately been shut out of the “Outstanding Chef” category for the second year in a row, seeing one of the District’s hottest new spots of 2025, Maison Bar à Vins, as a finalist in the ‘Best New Restaurant’ category feels reassuring that the local food scene hasn’t hit a slump.
