When will Dallas Italian restaurant Lucia get the James Beard win it deserves? For the eighth time in just over a decade, the coveted culinary award went to another nominee. The James Beard awards honored some of the nation’s best restaurants and chefs at a ceremony on\u00a0June 15, 2026 in Chicago.<\/p>\n
Lucia’s\u00a0Maggie Huff was up for Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker. The win went to Washington, D.C. pastry chef Susan Bae, of Moon Rabbit.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s an honor to be nominated, it’s true. “You all deserve to savor the sweetness of being nominated for a 2026 James Beard Award,” emcee and Top Chef judge Gail Simmons told the audience at the beginning of the evening. But hopeful\u00a0foodies wondered if 2026 would finally be Lucia\u2019s\u00a0time to shine, as Dallas has not seen a big food win in the James Beard awards in decades<\/a> and the Oak Cliff restaurant is as beloved as they come.<\/p>\n Lucia co-owner David Uygur was in the running for a James Beard five times between 2014 and 2019 for Best Chef: Southwest. The restaurant was then nominated in 2023 for Outstanding Restaurant. Uygur followed in 2024 as a nominee for Outstanding Chef.\u00a0<\/p>\n Huff is responsible for all of Lucia\u2019s bread, pastries and desserts. She\u2019s part of a nimble team whose dishes fluctuate based on the whims of its chefs and the changing seasons.\u00a0<\/p>\n