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Here are the 2026 James Beard Award finalists for D.C.

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A bowl of butter chicken — Tapori chef Suresh Sundas is up for a Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic award (pictured: his butter chicken). Photo: Deb Lindsey/For The Washington Post via Getty Images

The James Beard Foundation has picked finalists for its 2026 Restaurant and Chef Awards.

Why it matters: These contenders made the cut from the long list of semifinalists in the Oscars of the food world.

🏅 The full list of D.C.-area finalists:

Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic:

Suresh Sundas, Tapori — D.C.

Best New Restaurant:

Maison Bar à Vins — D.C.

Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service:

Brent Kroll, Maxwell Park — D.C.

Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages:

Field & Main — Marshall, Virginia

Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker

Susan Bae, Moon Rabbit — D.C.

Zoom out: Asheville-based restaurateurs Meherwan and Molly Irani, who opened a Chai Pani at Union Market, are nominees for Outstanding Restaurateur.

Los Angeles-based chef Nancy Silverton, who's behind Georgetown's Osteria Mozza, earned a Lifetime Achievement Award.

What's next: Winners will be crowned in Chicago on June 15.

See the full list here.

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