James Beard Awards 2026: WA restaurants continue winless streak

As the 2026 James Beard Awards were handed out Monday in Chicago, toasts were raised to the stars of the United States food scene. But chefs and restaurants from the state of Washington returned from the Oscars of the restaurant industry empty-handed for the sixth year in a row.

This year's Evergreen State runners-up were whittled down from a longlist of 17 to two Seattle chefs who were named finalists in March in the category of Best Chef: Northwest - Johnny Courtney of Atoma and Aaron Tekulve of Surrell.

Those two fine-dining chefs from the Emerald City were beat out by Ryan Roadhouse of Portland's Nodoguro for the honor.

Washington's last Best Chef win at the national awards ceremony came before the James Beard Foundation's pandemic hiatus, when Brady Ishiwata Williams of Canlis (and now Tomo) was named the Northwest's top chef in 2019.

Meanwhile, our neighbors in Oregon have established a Beard advantage in recent years.

At this year's ceremony, Portland bar Scotch Lodge was named the nation's best in the national Outstanding Bar category.

JinJu Patisserie won the national Oustanding Bakery award last year while Timothy Wastell of Antica Terra in Amity took home the title of Best Chef: Northwest.

And in 2024, Langbaan was named the nation's most Outstanding Restaurant. Gregory Gourdet won Best Chef: Northwest that year after his Portland restaurant, kann, was named the nation's best new kitchen in 2023.

The full list of national categories is below.

Outstanding Restaurant

Kalaya in Philadelphia

Outstanding Chef

Michael Tusk of Quince in San Francisco

Best New Restaurant

Lei in New York City

Emerging Chef

Adrian Torres of Maximo in West University Place, Texas

Outstanding Bakery

Wild Crumb in Bozeman, Montana

Outstanding Bar

Scotch Lodge in Portland

Best New Bar

Loma in Providence, Rhode Island

Outstanding Restaurateur

Dana Street of Fore Street, Scales, Standard Baking Co. and others in Portland, Maine

Outstanding Hospitality

Providence in Los Angeles

Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker

Susan Bae of Moon Rabbit in Washington, D.C.

Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program

Kato in Los Angeles

Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service

Kevin Diedrich of Pacific Cocktail Haven in San Francisco

Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service

Lee Campbell of Borgo in New York City

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