{"id":220144,"date":"2026-04-06T04:34:40","date_gmt":"2026-04-06T04:34:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/220144\/"},"modified":"2026-04-06T04:34:40","modified_gmt":"2026-04-06T04:34:40","slug":"chancho-king-nominated-for-prestigious-james-beard-award","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/220144\/","title":{"rendered":"Chancho King Nominated for Prestigious James Beard Award"},"content":{"rendered":"

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. \u203a<\/a><\/p>\n

\"AnA close-up of the signature ‘chancho’ (roasted pork) dish that has earned Chancho King national recognition.Today in Jacksonville<\/p>\n

Chancho King, a restaurant located in Jacksonville’s Murray Hill neighborhood, has been nominated as a semi-finalist for the prestigious James Beard Award for Best Chef in the South region. Chefs Maria La Mota and Chason Spencer have been recognized for their exceptional Ecuadorian-inspired cuisine that has earned the restaurant a loyal following.<\/p>\n

Why it matters<\/p>\n

The James Beard Awards are considered the ‘Oscars’ of the culinary world, honoring the most talented and innovative chefs and restaurants across the United States. Chancho King’s nomination is a significant achievement that puts Jacksonville’s vibrant food scene on the national map and showcases the diversity of flavors and culinary talent found in the city.<\/p>\n

The details<\/p>\n

Chancho King is known for its authentic Ecuadorian dishes, including its signature ‘chancho’ (roasted pork) as well as a variety of other traditional Ecuadorian specialties created by Chefs La Mota and Spencer. The restaurant has built a loyal following in the Murray Hill neighborhood and beyond for its commitment to high-quality, flavorful ingredients and its welcoming, community-focused atmosphere.<\/p>\n

Chancho King was nominated as a semi-finalist for the 2026 James Beard Awards in April 2026.<\/p>\n

The players<\/p>\n

Chancho King<\/p>\n

A local restaurant in Jacksonville’s Murray Hill neighborhood that specializes in Ecuadorian cuisine and has been nominated for a prestigious James Beard Award.<\/p>\n

Maria La Mota<\/p>\n

Co-chef at Chancho King, recognized for her exceptional Ecuadorian-inspired culinary creations.<\/p>\n

Chason Spencer<\/p>\n

Co-chef at Chancho King, recognized for his exceptional Ecuadorian-inspired culinary creations.<\/p>\n

Got photos? Submit your photos here. \u203a<\/a>
\n What they\u2019re saying<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are honored and humbled to be recognized by the James Beard Foundation. This nomination is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire team, who pour their hearts into every dish we serve.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2014 Maria La Mota, Co-chef, Chancho King<\/p>\n

What\u2019s next<\/p>\n

The James Beard Foundation will announce the final award winners in June 2026.<\/p>\n

The takeaway<\/p>\n

Chancho King’s James Beard Award nomination highlights the growing culinary reputation of Jacksonville’s diverse food scene and the city’s ability to produce world-class chefs and restaurants that are putting local flavors on the national stage.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Got story updates? Submit your updates here. \u203a A close-up of the signature ‘chancho’ (roasted pork) dish that…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":220145,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[116,118,117],"class_list":["post-220144","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-jacksonville","tag-jacksonville","tag-jacksonville-headlines","tag-jacksonville-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/220144","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=220144"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/220144\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/220145"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=220144"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=220144"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=220144"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}