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The James Beard Foundation announced its 2026 Restaurant and Chef Award nominees on Tuesday, March 31. However, for the first time in several years, Miami was left entirely off the list. While the city has spent the last year touting its status as a top-tier dining destination, the national foundation’s voting body apparently felt otherwise.
The exclusion is a stark departure from the initial semifinalist round in January. A few months ago, several Miami names were in the running.
Acclaimed chef Michael Beltran of Michelin-starred Ariete and Maria Teresa Gallina and Nicolas Martinez from Recoveco (winner of New Times‘ Best New Restaurant 2025) were both semifinalists for Best Chef: South. However, neither made the final cut. Amara at Paraiso was up for Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program, and Bar Bucce in Little River was a semifinalist for Best New Bar. Yet, both were similarly omitted from the final ballot.
It begs the question: Were Florida restaurants and chefs nominated at all?
The Northern Focus
While Miami was sidelined, other parts of the state managed to secure a presence.
In the Best Chef: South category, which covers Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Puerto Rico, the only two Florida spots went to chefs located hours from South Florida. Bryce Bonsack of Tampa’s Rocca and Maria La Mota and Chason Spencer of Jacksonville’s Chancho King both were named finalists for the awards.
The rest of the South region nominations were dominated by restaurants in New Orleans and Arkansas.
YouTube screenshot via James Beard Foundation
National Omissions
The snub continued across the major national categories. Miami was absent from the Best New Restaurant list. Instead, the category featured spots in cities like Milwaukee, Philadelphia, and San Antonio. The Outstanding Restaurant and Outstanding Chef categories were also dominated by the usual suspects in Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco.
The 2026 awards also include the second year of the Impact Awards. The program launched in 2025 to recognize chefs and owners pushing for sustainability and economic equity in the industry. Those honorees will be recognized in Chicago on June 14. The main Restaurant and Chef Awards ceremony will be held on Monday, June 15, at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.
This shutout from the final ballot marks a rare setback for Miami’s dining scene. Especially at a time when it is otherwise defined by its Michelin stars and rising global rankings.
Miami must now wait until 2027 to see if it can reclaim its place on the James Beard stage.
