On Tuesday, the James Beard Foundation released its list of finalists for the 2026 James Beard Awards. Two restaurants in the Asheville area — and the only ones in North Carolina — made the cut: Chai Pani Restaurant Group for Outstanding Restaurateur, and Taylor Montgomery of Montgomery Sky Farm for Best Chef: Southeast.
Chai Pani, and its owner/chef Meherwan Irani, have been nominated for various James Beard awards more than five times. In 2022, it earned the award for Outstanding Restaurant. The Outstanding Restaurateur award honors a team with at least seven years of industry experience, who demonstrates a commitment to creativity, integrity and community.
Irani, in partnership with his wife Molly Irani, opened the first Chai Pani location at a small space off downtown Asheville’s Wall Street in 2009. Since those early days, the business has grown into a significant operation, helping popularize Indian street food dishes, such as chaat, vada pav and uttapam, throughout the American South…