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The 2026 list of semifinalists for the James Beard Awards has been released. There are 7 semifinal nominees from Maine in three categories:
- Best Chef Northeast – Jeremy Broucek from Bread & Friends, Thomas Takashi Cooke from Izakaya Minato, Chris Gould from Central Provisions, Sara Jenkins from Nina June in Rockport and Jake Stevens from Leeward.
- Outstanding Bakery – Night Moves Bread in South Portland.
- Outstanding Restaurateur – Dana Street from Fore Street, Scales, Standard Baking, and Street & Company.
Elsewhere in New England there were 8 semifinalists from Rhode Island, 5 from Vermont, 15 from Massachusetts, 6 from Connecticut and 4 from New Hampshire.
The list of final nominees will be released March 31st, and the awards ceremony will take place on June 15th in Chicago. The America’s Classics winners will be announced on February 25th.
For your reference:
- A list of Maine award winners, nominees and semifinalists, 2001 – 2026.
- A list of the chef and restaurant awards categories
- An overview the chef and restaurant awards process
- James Beard in Portland – Read about the time James Beard himself taught a set cooking classes in Portland.
Photos: Bread & Friends, Night Moves, Central Provisions, Izakaya Minato (top row); Fore Street, Leeward, Nina June (bottom row).