and the nominees are...

12 Houston restaurants score James Beard Award semifinalist nominations

Houston is well represented on the list of semifinalists for the 2026 James Beard Awards. Overall, Houston received eight nominations in national categories and four nominations for Best Chef: Texas.

The national nominees are:

Outstanding Restaurateur: Hugo Ortega and Tracy Vaught, H-Town Restaurant Group
Outstanding Chef: Manabu Horiuchi, Katami
Emerging Chef: Max Lappé and Jacques Varon, Baso
Emerging Chef: Adrian Torres, Maximo
Best New Restaurant: Agnes and Sherman
Best New Bar: Lee's
Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service: June Rodil, March
Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service: Kristine Nguyen, Bludorn

Houston's Best Chef: Texas nominees:

Ope Amosu, ChòpnBlọk
Kent Domas and Seth Siegel-Gardner, Milton's
Evelyn Garcia and Henry Lu, JŪN
Shawn Gawle, Camaraderie

Considered the Oscars of the food world, the awards recognize excellence by chefs and other culinary professionals in a wide range of categories ranging from Outstanding Chef to Best New Restaurant. The James Beard Foundation added three new categories last year to recognize the beverage side of hospitality: Best New Bar. Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service, and Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service.

Elsewhere in Texas, Dallas boasts eight nominees, San Antonio has seven, and Austin received nine. Notably, only two of last year’s Best Chef: Texas finalists — Emil Oliva and Michael Serva — return as semifinalists for 2026, which means Houston’s Emmanuel Chavez of Michelin-starred Tatemó is off the list after being named a finalist in 2024 and 2025. Amosu and Jūn chefs Garcia and Lu were also semifinalists in 2025.

Houston is looking to build on last year’s victory by Thomas Bille of Belly of the Beast in Spring, who became the city’s second Best Chef: Texas winner, joining Benchawan Jabthong Painter of Street to Kitchen. Houston’s other regional chef award winners include Robert Del Grande (Cafe Annie), Chris Shepherd (Underbelly), Justin Yu (Oxheart), and Hugo Ortega (Hugo’s). Houston cocktail bar Julep won the award for Outstanding Bar Program in 2022.

“We are thrilled to congratulate this year’s semifinalists as we mark another major milestone — 40 years of the James Beard Foundation,” said Clare Reichenbach, CEO of the James Beard Foundation. “For four decades, the Foundation has recognized culinary excellence while championing the independent chefs and restaurants that are vital to our communities, economy, and culture. It is an honor to celebrate the 2026 semifinalists, whose work reflects the incredible dynamism, talent, and achievement defining our industry today.”

Finalists for the Restaurant and Chef Awards will be announced on March 31. Nominees for the Foundation’s Media Awards will be announced on May 6. The Restaurant and Chef Awards ceremony will be held at the Lyric Opera of Chicago on June 15.

StarChefs Max Lappe and Jacques Varon of Baso

Courtesy of StarChefs

Max Lappe and Jacques Varon of Baso are nominated for Emerging Chef.

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CHAIN NEWS

Future of Texas chain Twin Peaks uncertain after bankruptcy filing

Twin Peaks/Facebook

Twin Peaks has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Bad news for people who need booty shorts and tight shirts to enjoy their buffalo wings with. On Monday, January 26, Twin Hospitality Group, the parent company of the Twin Peaks chain, announced that they were filing Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

The company, founded in Lewisville, Texas in 2005, quickly became a major competitor to Hooters, Bombshells, and other eateries centered on buxom waitstaff. Currently, there are 114 locations nationwide, including five in the Austin area.

The chain has not announced plans for widespread restaurant closures, but the filing comes only a year after the company went public on the stock exchange with a $1 billion estimated value. For now, doors will remain open and staff will be paid, but it's not a sign of strength for most companies to enter Chapter 11.

"Twin Peaks has redefined the sports bar experience and built an iconic and highly profitable business. We are confident that the brand remains positioned for meaningful global expansion in the years to come,” said Andy Wiederhorn, CEO of Twin Hospitality, in a release. “Our focus in this process remains providing quality service to our customers and supporting our franchise partners and the thousands of corporate and franchise employees.”

The news comes at a time of reckoning for "breastaurants.” Last year, the leading name in the industry, Hooters, announced a major brand shift away from its titillating model. Dubbed the “re-Hooterization," the chain plans to return to its original branding of a beach-themed hangout spot.

Multiple locations in Texas have already been bought out or closed in Grapevine, Houston, Lubbock, Bryan, and San Marcos. A spokesperson for Hooters told CultureMap that they are in the process of transferring all Texas liquor licenses from the former ownership.

"We look forward to the completion of the transfers, but it is a process that takes a little bit of time," they said.

Houston-based Bombshells, also underwent restructuring recently, closing two locations in its hometown in 2024. The chain still operates six Houston-area location.

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