STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.— The James Beard Foundation announced its 2026 Restaurant and Chef Awards on June 15 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, with no Staten Island chefs or restaurants earning recognition among the prestigious culinary honors.
While Richmond County went unrepresented, several winners are within a short trip from Staten Island. Chef Hooni Kim of Meju in Queens was named Best Chef: New York State, while Manhattan earned recognition with Lei taking home Best New Restaurant and Lee Campbell of Borgo honored for outstanding beverage service.
Philadelphia also made a strong showing. Kalaya was named Outstanding Restaurant, and Jesse Ito of Royal Sushi & Izakaya earned Best Chef in the Mid-Atlantic region.
Borough connection: Why it matters
Staten Island does maintain a connection to the foundation through local restaurateur Peter Botros, founder of Bread & Butter Hospitality. Botros has cooked at the James Beard House and hosted foundation events on Staten Island, bringing national culinary attention to the borough…