James Beard Awards

DFW chefs come up short as Houston wins big at 2026 James Beard Awards

Agnolotti at Osteria il Muro in Denton, where chef Scott Girling has been named a James Beard Award finalist.

Facebook/Osteria il Muro

Two Dallas-Fort Worth chefs were finalists for 2026 James Beard Awards, but neither took home the coveted medal from the star-studded awards ceremony, held June 15 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.

They were:

Scott Girling, Osteria il Muro (Denton), nominated for Best Chef: Texas
Maggie Huff, Lucia (Dallas), nominated for Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker

Eight semifinalist nominations from DFW had been announced in January, including Patrick Hicks of Smoke'N Ash BBQ, but just two had advanced to the finals.

Girling is a graduate of the Culinary School of Fort Worth. He was nominated for Rising Star Chef of the Year in the 2026 CultureMap Dallas Tastemaker Awrds. His nomination read, "This chef is making waves far beyond the walls of his cozy Italian eatery in Denton. Girling was recently named a 2026 James Beard finalist for Best Chef: Texas. The Culinary School of Fort Worth graduate, who later moved to Italy to immerse himself in the cuisine, has been serving homestyle Italian dishes at the reservation-only restaurant since 2021. He crafts traditional plates such as ricotta gnocchi, fried squash blossoms, and oysters finished tomato mignonette and Thai basil."

While Huff didn't win the Beard Award, her Lucia won Dessert Program of the Year in the Tastemaker Awards. The nomination read, "With Maggie Huff, 2026 James Beard finalist for Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker, at the helm, it’s no surprise Lucia’s dessert program is a standout. The intimate, award-winning Italian eatery in Bishop Arts serves a rotating menu with sweet bites such as semolina cake with roasted grapes, rosemary, honey, and pistachio ice cream. Diners can opt for a tropical escape with coconut sorbet with nectarines and lime and mint pesto. For an earthy experience, there’s the hazelnut frangipane and goat cheese tart with figs and balsamic vinegar ice cream."

Considered the Oscars of the food world, the awards recognize excellence by chefs and other culinary professionals in a wide range of categories from Outstanding Chef to Best New Restaurant. In 2025, the James Beard Foundation added three new categories to recognize the beverage side of hospitality: Best New Bar, Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service, and Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service.

Winners must also have “demonstrated commitment to racial and gender equity, community, sustainability, and a culture where all can thrive,” according to the organization’s website.

Lucia Maggie Huff's award-winning desserts are worth a visit to Lucia, even if she didn't take home the Beard Award. Courtesy photo

Houston wins big
Texas was well represented by Houston, which had a historic night at the Awards. Two of Houston’s six finalists took home prizes for both national awards and Best Chef: Texas:

Emerging Chef: Adrian Torres, Maximo
Best Chef Texas: Evelyn Garcia and Henry Lu, Jūn

Houston’s other finalists were: June Rodil (March) for Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service; Ope Amosu (ChòpnBlọk) for Best Chef: Texas; Agnes and Sherman for Best New Restaurant, and Hugo Ortega and Tracy Vaught (H-Town Restaurant Group) for Outstanding Restaurateur.

Other Texas nominees included: Tavel Bristol-Joseph (Nicosi, San Antonio) for Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker and Mixtli in San Antonio for Outstanding Restaurant.

The other nominees for Best Chef: Texas were: Gabe Padilla and Melissa Padilla, (Cafe Piro in Socorro), and Finn Walter (The Nicolett in Lubbock).

James Beard Awards Lindsey Brown Chris Shepherd Southern Smoke Foundation Lindsey Brown, center, and Chris Shepherd, right, at the Impact Awards. Photo by Max Flatow

In addition, the Houston-based Southern Smoke Foundation, a nonprofit that provides emergency assistance and mental health services to hospitality workers, received an Impact Award at a separate ceremony on Sunday, June 14.

Houston's two wins establish the city as a culinary destination. They follow Thomas Bille of Belly of the Beast in Spring winning Best Chef: Texas in 2025 and Benchawan Jabthong Painter (Street to Kitchen) winning the same category in 2023, meaning the city’s chefs have now won three of the last four awards in that category. Torres is only the second Houstonian to win a national award, following Southern-inspired cocktail bar Julep’s win for Outstanding Bar Program in 2022.

“I am proud to be the son of immigrants. I am proud to be an immigrant. And I am proud to be a DACA recipient,” Torres, 27, said to applause from the crowd of culinary professionals as he accepted his Beard Award.

“Tonight, the headline is that a brown kid from the Northside, raised by parents who sacrificed everything for the chance at a better life, is standing on this stage accepting one of the highest honors in this industry,” he added.

James Beard Awards Evelyn Garcia Henry Lu Jun Evelyn Garcia and Henry Lu won Best Chef: Texas.Photo by Casey Giltner

After establishing themselves by serving casual fare at pop-ups and farmers markets, Garcia and Lu opened Jūn in 2023. Billed as a New Asian American restaurant, it features a wide-ranging menu that includes charred cabbage with tofu Caesar dressing, carrots with everything salsa matcha, and the signature fried chicken that’s seasoned with shrimp paste, ginger, and Thai chili. In 2025, they opened Third Place, a daytime concept in the Jūn space that showcases pop-ups from both established and up-and-coming chefs.

Like Torres, Lu also celebrated his immigrant parents. “I want to thank our immigrant parents who lived the American dream and put us where we are today. They invested so much in us. Everything we are today is because of them,” he said.

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Stephanie Allmon Merry contributed to this story.

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Ribs down

Goldee's BBQ spinoff Ribbee's to close current Fort Worth location

Facebook/Ribbee's

Ribbee's is closing its doors at 923 E. Seminary Dr.

A ribs-focused spinoff of Fort Worth's acclaimed Goldee's BBQ is closing - for now: Ribbee's owners announced on social media Tuesday, June 16 that their last day in business at the restaurant's current location, 923 E. Seminary Dr., would be June 21.

"This will officially be our last week open at our current location," the post says. "Our final day of service will be Sunday, June 21st. We will be running our normal hours all week long, so there is still plenty of time to come get your barbecue fix."

The owners say the building is changing hands, and the new landlords are taking over the space to open a restaurant of their own.

Hope is not lost for Ribbee's fans. They plan to reopen in a new location, they say.

"While it is incredibly tough to say goodbye, this isn’t the end of the road. We are actively looking for a new home for Ribbee's so we can fire the pits back up for you soon," they say in the post.

Ribbee's was opened by the owners of Goldee's in 2024, in an East Fort Worth building that was originally a Sonic. It spotlights baby back ribs, along with sides like mac & cheese and French fries.

The building was once home to a Himalayan/Nepalese restaurant called Namaste, and then to another barbecue spot called Bonefire Grill. The Ribbee's owners painted bright red, with an offset smoker emblazoned with the word "Goldee's" - similar to smokers that are for sale on Goldee’s website - in front of the entrance.

When Ribbee's was announced, then-partner Jonny White told CultureMap the building "fit the vibe" of the menu they wanted to do, "which is basically baby back ribs in different flavors," White said. "Obviously brisket is the king in Texas, but ribs are the No. 2 most popular item. And a rib-only place, we've never seen anyone do it."

"It wouldn’t work with one flavor, but we really like making rubs and sauces - it's like a ribs version of Wing Stop or Raising Cane’s," he said then.

The space accommodated dine-in seating with 44 seats inside and a couple picnic tables outside.

Ribbee's parent-restaurant Goldee's was opened in February 2020 by friends White, Lane Milne, Dylan Taylor, Nupohn Inthanousay, and Jalen Heard, and has received local, regional and national accolades for its craft barbecue. The restaurant became a major sensation in 2021 when it was crowned the No. 1 barbecue joint in Texas by Texas Monthly magazine, and also made a NY Times list of “The 20 Best Texas Barbecue Restaurants From the New Generation."

In February 2026, White announced that he and and Barbs B Q owner Chuck Charnichart, of Lockhart, would open another "ee's" restaurant - Kirbee's - a restaurant combining classic dishes from both of its progenitors, in New York City. White had been in New York for seven months, working on the Brooklyn restaurant, after selling his shares of Goldee's. It has not yet opened.

As for Ribbee's, the owners say they'd love to see people pop in for one last visit before they close.

"We would absolutely love to see all the familiar faces that have made this place so special. Please come out, grab some food, and support our crew during this final stretch," they say in the post. "Thank you for all the love and support you’ve shown us. Let’s make this last week a great one."

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Malcolm Mayhew and Brianna Caleri contributed to this story.

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