Raleigh's dining scene again recognized by James Beard Awards
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The buffalo-butter-roasted halibut. Photo: Courtesy of Peregrine
The James Beard Awards just announced their 2026 semifinalists, with chefs in Raleigh and Cary vying for some of the industry's top honors.
Why it matters: A nod can elevate a restaurant or dining scene to national prominence, given the awards' reputation as the Oscars of American hospitality.
Zoom in: Raleigh's Peregrine is up for Best New Restaurant, a national James Beard Award.
- The fine-dining spot that opened in midtown last spring serves a globally inspired menu that changes with the seasons.
Two Triangle chefs are up for Best Chef: Southeast.
- Cheetie Kumar is again under consideration, this time for Ajja, a creative Raleigh spot serving Mediterranean and Middle Eastern dishes in a sun-soaked 1970s aesthetic.
- So is Steven Devereaux Greene, who runs the kitchen at Herons, an ambitious restaurant inside Cary's Umstead Hotel known for its attention to detail and locally sourced ingredients.
And the Asheville couple behind Chai Pani and Botiwalla — who are opening a location in Raleigh Iron Works this spring — are in the running for Outstanding Restaurateur, widely considered the most prestigious James Beard Award.
What they're saying: Peregrine chef and co-owner Saif Rahman said he was "overwhelmed" in a statement shared with Axios.
- "My first thought was of my father, who believed in me as a chef, and would have kissed me right now. We have dreamed of this, my team and I; seeing their excitement means the world to me," Rahman wrote.
Zoom out: Chefs from elsewhere in North Carolina also made the semifinals.
- Outstanding Chef: Dean Neff, who runs Seabird in Wilmington.
- Best Chef: Southeast: Kumar and Greene's competition includes three other North Carolina chefs: Robin Anthony, of Charlotte's Omakase by Prime Fish; Matt Dawes, of Asheville's The Bull and Beggar, and Taylor Montgomery, of Montgomery Sky Farm in the mountain town of Leicester.
What's next: Finalists will be announced on March 31, with winners celebrated at a June 15 ceremony in Chicago.