The James Beard Foundation kicked off its annual awards season on Wednesday, January 21, with the announcement of semifinalists for its 2026 Restaurant and Chef Awards. Several Vermont chefs and industry pros were recognized in the first round of the prestigious awards.
Café Monette in St. Albans was one of 30 restaurants around the country named in the Best New Restaurant category. Leslie McCrorey Wells — co-owner of Burlington’s Pizzeria Verità, Trattoria Delia and Sotto Enoteca — is a semifinalist for Outstanding Restaurateur.
Kate Wise, bar manager at Burlington’s Juniper Bar & Restaurant, was recognized in the nationwide Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service category.
Three Vermont chefs made the list for the regional Best Chef: Northeast category: Tiara Adorno of the Crooked Ram in Manchester, Paul Trombly of Fancy’s in Burlington and Max Vogel of Ondis in Montpelier.
Last year, Vermont had finalists in three categories of the awards: White River Junction cocktail bar Wolf Tree for Outstanding Bar, May Day chef Avery Buck for Best Chef: Northeast category, and Allison Gibson and Cara Chigazola Tobin — co-owners of Burlington’s Honey Road and the Grey Jay — for Outstanding Restaurateur. Chef Nisachon “Rung” Morgan of Randolph’s Saap restaurant won Vermont’s first James Beard Award in 2022.
This year’s semifinalists will be whittled into a short list of nominees on Tuesday, March 31. Award winners will be announced at a ceremony in Chicago on June 15.
This post will be updated.
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