It’s a disappointing year for Houston chefs and restaurants in the James Beard Awards. Only one of the city’s 11 semifinalists advanced to finalist status.

Considered the Oscars of the food world, the James Beard Foundation announced the finalists for its Restaurant and Chef Awards on April 3. Here are all of the Texas nominees in the national categories:

• Best New Restaurant: Barbs-B-Q, Lockhart
• Outstanding Bar: Las Ramblas (Brownsville)
• Outstanding Hospitality: Gemma (Dallas)
• Outstanding Restaurant: Mixtli (San Antonio)
• Outstanding Restaurant: Convenience West (Marfa)
• Outstanding Chef: David Uygur, Lucia (Dallas)

Houston's seven semifinalist nominees in the national categories included Bludorn for Outstanding Hospitality, Nancy's Hustle for Outstanding Restaurant, Koffeteria for Outstanding Bakery, and Jun for Best New Restaurant.

The foundation also announced the finalists for Best Chef: Texas. Of Houston’s four semifinalists, only one, Emmanuel Chavez of Tatemó, earned finalist status.

• Emmanuel Chavez, Tatemó (Houston)
• Christopher Cullum, Cullum’s Attaboy (San Antonio)
• Tracy Malechek-Ezekiel, Birdie’s (Austin)
• Misti Norris, Petra & the Beast (Dallas)
• Ana Liz Pulido, Ana Liz Taqueria (Mission)

The finalists are drawn from a pool of semifinalists that included nine nominations for Austin, eight for Dallas, and five for San Antonio.

Notably, only Las Ramblas returns from 2023 in the national categories. All of this year's other finalists are new to the categories. Similarly, none of last year’s finalists for Best Chef: Texas returned to the category. Ernest Servantes and David Kirkland of Burnt Bean Co. in Seguin had been among last year’s finalists for Best Chef: Texas. This year, they earned a semifinalist nomination in the nationwide Outstanding Chef category but did not advance to the finals.

Despite today’s results, Houston has fared well in the most recent Beard Awards. Street to Kitchen chef Benchawan Jabthong Painter won Best: Chef Texas in 2023, and Southern-inspired cocktail bar Julep won Outstanding Bar Program in 2022.

The awards recognize excellence by chefs and other culinary professionals in a wide range of categories ranging from Outstanding Chef to Best New Restaurant. Winner must also have “demonstrated commitment to racial and gender equity, community, sustainability, and a culture where all can thrive,” according to the organization’s website. The awards also include media categories that will be announced on April 30.

“Congratulations to all of our esteemed honorees and nominees on this remarkable achievement,” Beard Foundation CEO Clare Reichenbach said. “Your vision, and continued dedication to excellence — both on and beyond the plate — make you true leaders of American culinary. Thank you for all you are doing to set a better standard for our industry and broader food system.”

The Foundation will reveal its Restaurant and Chef Award winners at an awards ceremony on Monday, June 10, 2024, at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.