Oscars of the Food World

Culinary School of Fort Worth grad named a 2026 James Beard Award finalist

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

Facebook/Osteria il Muro

Two North Texas chefs have advanced to the next round of the 2026 James Beard Awards. They are:

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

Of DFW's eight semifinalist nominations, announced in January, just the two were named finalists. In 2025, six Dallas-Fort Worth chefs and restaurants made the finals.

No chefs or restaurants from Fort Worth proper were nominated in 2026. Patrick Hicks, chef-owner of Smoke'N Ash BBQ in Arlington, was a semifinalist.

Girling's Osteria il Muro is a tiny but mighty authentic Italian restaurant that draws legions of fans from all over North Texas for housemade pastas and creative, chef-driven dishes; their strict reservation policy is outlined on the homepage of their website.

Girling graduated from the Culinary School of Fort Worth before moving to Calabria, Italy to study at the Italian Culinary Institute, according to a Voyage Dallas interview.

Notably, Girling and Lucia are also nominated for 2026 CultureMap Dallas Tastemaker Awards, which will be announced May 7 at Astoria Event Venue in Irving. (The Fort Worth event is April 30 at Social Space.)

Considered the Oscars of the food world, the James Beard Foundation announced the finalists for its Restaurant and Chef Awards on Tuesday, March 31. The awards recognize excellence by chefs and other culinary professionals in a wide range of categories ranging from Outstanding Chef to Best New Restaurant.

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.

Texas, as a whole, had an impressive showing in the finals. Here are all of the Texas nominees in the national categories:

Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker: Maggie Huff, Lucia (Dallas)
Emerging Chef: Adrian Torres, Maximo (Houston)
Best New Restaurant: Agnes and Sherman (Houston)
Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service: June Rodil, March (Houston)
Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker: Tavel Bristol-Joseph, Nicosi (San Antonio)
Outstanding Restaurateur: Hugo Ortega and Tracy Vaught, H-Town Restaurant Group (Houston)
Outstanding Restaurant: Mixtli (San Antonio)

The finalists for Best Chef: Texas are:

Scott Girling, Osteria il Muro (Denton)
Ope Amosu, ChòpnBlọk (Houston)
Evelyn Garcia and Henry Lu, JŪN (Houston)
Gabe Padilla and Melissa Padilla, Cafe Piro (Socorro)
Finn Walter, The Nicolett (Lubbock)

Impressively, nearly all of the Texas nominees are first-time finalists.

The Restaurant and Chef Awards ceremony will be held at the Lyric Opera of Chicago on June 15.

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Stephanie Allmon Merry contributed to this story.

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Up from the ashes

Blue Goose Cantina in North Richland Hills reopens after January fire

Blue Goose Cantina

Blue Goose Cantina has reopened in North

Popular Tex-Mex restaurant Blue Goose Cantina has finally reopened, following a fire in January that shut down operations for two months.

Blue Goose opened its doors on January 21 at 9005 N. Tarrant Pkwy., near Precinct Line Road and Davis Boulevard. Just 10 days later, the restaurant suffered a fire, and it remained closed until the end of March.

Neighbors eager for it to reopen would check in daily on its progress, restaurant personnel say.

The restaurant reopened quietly, without fanfare, at 11 am Tuesday, March 31, upon receiving final city approval. No changes have been to the building, menu, or operations, a spokesperson says.

Blue Goose Cantina first debuted on Dallas' Greenville Avenue in 1984, where it become a local institution — earning acclaim for its sizzling fajitas, top-shelf queso, homemade tortillas, and tacos, as well as its lively street-facing patio, long before patios were the thing they are today.

That location closed, but they went on to open seven DFW locations ahead of North Richland Hills: Fort Worth, Frisco, Grand Prairie, Grapevine, Highland Village, McKinney, and Plano, all maintaining Blue Goose's neighborhood feel and commitment to quality.

The NRH location spans 5,486 square feet with seating for 250, and feature Blue Goose’s vibrant design, including warm colors, bold tilework, and playful Lotería artwork.

It also boasts a serious climatized patio, installed in what used to be a drive-thru lane, with room for more than 100 year-round. Inside, the space will feature an expansive bar, plus signatures such as its trademark wood fire grill and a tortilla factory.

"We’re thrilled to join the North Richland Hills community and bring our fun, laid-back atmosphere to another Tarrant County area,” said Nick Peterson, CEO of Peterson Management Group, the parent company of Blue Goose Cantina, when the location opened. “Our family has been serving North Texans for over 40 years, and we can’t wait to welcome new guests to experience our signature fajitas, margaritas, and hospitality.”

Peterson Management Group is a family-owned and operated restaurant management company with 12 restaurants across North Texas. Founded by Bob Peterson and Scott Holyfield, the company operates Aw Shucks, Big Shucks Oyster Bar, and Blue Goose Cantina, under the leadership of CEO Nick Peterson.

“This new restaurant represents the best of what Blue Goose stands for — great food, handcrafted cocktails, and genuine connections,” says John Herrera, Vice President of Operations at Peterson Management Group. “We’ve designed this location with the community in mind, from the large patio for family gatherings to the décor that celebrates our Tex-Mex roots.”