The James Beard Awards are some of the most prestigious culinary awards in the industry, routinely awarded to outstanding chefs and restaurants since they were first established in 1990. The winners of the prestigious awards are announced in June every year.
The list of semi-finalists was previously released, with many San Francisco and Bay Area restaurants, bars, and chefs included. Now, the restaurant and chef award nominees have been announced, and several San Francisco establishments made the cut.
Srijith Gopinathan and Ayesha Thapar are nominated for the Outstanding Restaurateur category, for their work at Cal-India Collective, which operates popular restaurants (Ettan, Copra, Eylan, and Little Blue Door.
Michael Tusk was nominated for Outstanding Chef for his work at the famed fine-dining restaurant Quince. The restaurant has three Michelin stars and is known for the multi-course tasting menu.
Smuggler’s Cove is a nominee for the Outstanding Bar award. Smugglers Cove is known for its extensive rum menu and nautical, tiki decor. The drink menu is expansive, featuring over 80 options, including a Rum Through the Ages section.
Kevin Diedrich is a nominee for Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service for his work at the popular cocktail bar Pacific Cocktail Haven. The bar is frequently noted as one of the best in the country and features a menu with craft cocktails and new twists on classic drinks.
Finally, Harrison Cheney is nominated for the Best Chef by Region (California) award. Cheney is currently the chef at Sons & Daughters, a two-Michelin-star fine-dining restaurant featuring a Nordic-inspired tasting menu.
The winners for the coveted awards will be announced on Monday, June 15, in Chicago at the awards ceremony. You can see the full list of nominees for the 2026 James Beard Awards here.
