Four St. Louis chefs and three restaurants were named today as semifinalists for the 2026 James Beard Foundation Awards. All four chefs were recognized in the “Best Chef: Midwest” category (with 20 nominees total), while the restaurants were honored across three national categories.
The metro area semifinalists for “Best Chef: Midwest” include:
Loryn Nalic, Balkan Treat Box: Nalic was previously nominated in this category in 2020, 2023, 2024, and 2025. She was named a finalist in 2025. Reached today for comment, she says, “We’re honored to receive a James Beard nomination. None of this happens without our incredible team, our restaurant community, and the city of St. Louis. We are incredibly grateful that people keep showing up and supporting what we do.”
Alex Henry, El Molino del Sureste
: This is the first nomination for Henry, who also owns Taqueria del Sureste at City Foundry STL along with his brother, Jeff. Both restaurants pay homage to the cuisine of the Yucatan, where the chef spent a part of his youth. Reached today for comment, he says, “When I heard the news of the nomination, I felt both validation for the years of work put in by my team and I, as well as humiliity for being include among a group of such highly respected group of peers.”
Philip Day, Root Food + Wine (Augusta)…