The 2026 James Beard Award semifinalists were announced Wednesday morning this week, and Reyes Mezcaleria and Sparrow Wine Bar executive chef-partner Wendy Lopez has earned a nomination for “Best Chef: South,” along with Lakeland’s Born & Bread Bakehouse for Outstanding Bakery.
next, judges and subcommittee members will then dine at the restaurants of the finalists, participate in committee-led discussions regarding their dining experiences, then vote with the top scoring nominee per category being announced as the winner. More information on the voting process can be found at JamesBeard.org, along with the full list of nominees.
Winners will be announced at an awards ceremony in Chicago on June 15…