January is here again, which means it’s time for a new batch of James Beard Awards semifinalists. On January 21, the James Beard Foundation announced the line-up of semifinalists for the restaurant and chef awards categories. The initial list will be trimmed down to nominees on March 31, 2026, before winners are announced on June 15 at the awards ceremony in Chicago. Among the 2026 semifinalists, San Diego only received three nods: Realm of the 52 Remedies is on the list for Outstanding Bar, while Eric Bost of Lilo and Tara Monson of Animae are semifinalists for Best Chef: California.
The James Beard Awards are among the most prestigious awards in the food and hospitality industry. Each year, the James Beard Foundation taps chefs and restaurateurs for categories including Outstanding Bar, Best New Restaurant, and Best Chef, the latter of which is broken down into regions. In recent years, the awards have been under increased scrutiny after canceling its programming in 2020 and 2021 due to allegations of misconduct and abuse against nominated chefs, as well as a lack of nominated and winning Black chefs in the categories. In response, the James Beard Foundation conducted an internal audit to make its voting processes more inclusive and equitable, and returned in 2022.
Realm of the 52 Remedies, San Diego, California
Eric Bost, Lilo, Carlsbad, California
Tara Monsod, Animae, San Diego, California