Burnt Bean Co.’s Ernest Servantes and David Kirkland attend the James Beard Award ceremony at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. They were once again nominated in the Outstanding Chef category. Credit: Instagram / benyantovisuals
Eight chefs and two restaurants from the San Antonio area are among the semifinalists for the 2026 James Beard Awards, once again placing the Alamo City in the national culinary spotlight.
Finalists for the prestigious recognitions will be announced on Tuesday, March 31, with winners celebrated at the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards Ceremony on Monday, June 15, at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.
Widely regarded as one of the highest honors in the food world, the James Beard Awards recognize excellence in cuisine, hospitality and leadership across the U.S. This year’s semifinalist list includes a mix of established heavyweights and newer concepts from San Antonio.
In the Outstanding Chef category, barbecue veterans David Kirkland and Ernest Servantes of Burnt Bean Co. were recognized for the third consecutive year. While the restaurant is based in Seguin, the pitmasters’ influence and reputation are deeply rooted in the San Antonio food scene.
San Antonio’s acclaimed Mexican fine-dining restaurant Mixtli earned a semifinalist nomination for Outstanding Restaurant, continuing its long track record of national recognition. The establishment earned its first Michelin Star in 2025.
The city also landed a new contender in the Best New Restaurant category with Anacacho Coffee & Cantina, located in the St. Anthony Hotel and run by chef Leo Davila.
Pastry chef Tavel Bristol-Joseph, known for his meticulous technique and boundary-pushing desserts at Michelin-starred restaurant Nicosi, among others, was named a semifinalist for Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker.
In the Best Chef: Texas category, San Antonio was well represented with multiple semifinalists. Those include Francisco Estrada and Lizzeth Martinez of Naco Mexican. Also nominated were Sue Kim of The Magpie and Emil Oliva of Leche de Tigre, who have shaped the city’s evolving dining landscape with their takes on Korean and Peruvian cuisine, respectively.
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The semifinalists for the prestigious culinary awards include chefs from Burnt Bean Co., Nicosi, Naco Mexican, The Magpie, Leche de Tigre and more.
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