Utah shut out again at 2026 James Beard Awards

Zoom in: Felt Bar & Eatery's Travis Herbert and Urban Hill's Nick Zocco were finalists for best chef in the Mountain region, which includes Utah, Colorado, Idaho, Montana and Wyoming, in March.

• This award cycle marked Herbert's first nomination since joining Felt, which opened in 2024.
• It was Zocco's third nomination.

Instead, Yuan Wonton owner and chef Penelope Wong from Denver took home the honor.

Flashback: 8 Utah chefs and restaurants were named semifinalists in January, including:

• The Pearl's Tommy Nguyen for best chef
• Japanese-Italian fusion concept Junah for best new restaurant
• Post Office Place for outstanding bar