Four St. Louis chefs and three restaurants were named today as semifinalists for the 2026 James Beard Foundation Awards. All four chefs were recognized in the “Best Chef: Midwest” category (with 20 nominees total), while the restaurants were honored across three national categories.
The metro area semifinalists for “Best Chef: Midwest” include:
Loryn Nalic, Balkan Treat Box: Nalic was previously nominated in this category in 2020, 2023, 2024, and 2025. She was named a finalist in 2025. Reached today for comment, she says, “We’re honored to receive a James Beard nomination. None of this happens without our incredible team, our restaurant community, and the city of St. Louis. We are incredibly grateful that people keep showing up and supporting what we do.”
Alex Henry, El Molino del Sureste: This is the first nomination for Henry, who also owns Taqueria del Sureste at City Foundry STL along with his brother, Jeff. Both restaurants pay homage to the cuisine of the Yucatan, where the chef spent a part of his youth. Reached today for comment, he says, “When I heard the news of the nomination, I felt both validation for the years of work put in by my team and I, as well as humiliity for being include among a group of such highly respected group of peers.”
Philip Day, Root Food + Wine (Augusta): Day was also named a semifinalist in the “Best Chef: Midwest” category in 2024. Reached today for comment, he says, “So today, I was painting a shelf I’m building for the service staff at Root when my phone started going off like crazy. I was very surprised—just blown away for this. And to be named with these other amazing chefs and restaurants is humbling. Congratulations to all of them!”
Nick Bognar, Sado and Pavilion: Bognar’s previous Beard awards include a James Beard “Rising Star Chef” nomination in 2019 and 2020. Bognar’s flagship restaurant, indo, also received a semifinal nod for “Best New Restaurant.” Reached today for comment, he says, “It’s amazing to see STL represented so well. We have such an incredible and unique food scene. I’m always thankful to be listed, so we can continue to make the food we are passionate about. It’s so important for us to receive recognition for all of the work the teams do at all three spots. I always feel extra motivation to keep pushing our food forward and continuing to make our workplace better each year.”
The St. Louis restaurants named semifinalists include:
Robin for “Best New Restaurant” (among 30 nominees): The Maplewood prix fixe concept opened by Alec Schingel last March was nominated for “Best New Restaurant,” a national recognition that celebrates restaurants that opened between October 1, 2024 and September 30, 2025 and have already made a significant impact on their community. This is Schingel’s first James Beard Award nomination, though the nod comes on the heels of Robin’s placement on this year’s New York Times restaurant list of the 50 best places to eat in America right now. “We’re feeling very honored,” Schingel says. “I’m very happy for the whole team and happy for the other St. Louis nominees.”
Louie for “Outstanding Hospitality” (among 20 nominees): A first-time nominee, Louie was recognized in the “Outstanding Hospitality” category, a national nod which recognizes “a restaurant, bar, or other food and drinking establishment that fosters a sense of hospitality among its customers and staff that serves as a beacon for the community and demonstrates consistent excellence in food, atmosphere, hospitality, and operations.” Founded by longtime restaurateur Matt McGuire in 2017, the Clayton restaurant is the flagship of his Box Hill Group, which includes Wright’s Tavern, Box Hill Grocer, and the forthcoming Gigi, which is slated to open in later this year. Reached for comment, McGuire emphasizes the team effort that goes into such recognition. “We are just really grateful for the recognition,” McGuire says. “What Jordan, Coco, Alex and Sean all do there, every single night…showing up with so much empathy and care for our guests is really impressive. This way of being has rubbed off on everyone there. It’s a part of the place’s DNA now.”
Vicia for “Outstanding Restaurant” (among 20 nominees): This is Vicia’s first award in the prestigious “Outstanding Restaurant” category, which represents the best of the best in the nation’s dining scene. Vicia and Michael and Tara Gallina’s restaurant group, Take Root Hospitality, are no stranger to the James Beard Awards, having been nominated eight prior times: a 2025 “Emerging Chef” finalist nod for chef de cuisine Jane Sacro Chatham, a 2024 semifinalist nomination for “Outstanding Restaurateur,” a 2018 semifinalist nomination for “Best New Restaurant” (for Vicia), a 2022 semifinalist nod for “Best Wine Program” and “Best Bar Program” (for Vicia), and a semifinalist nod for “Best Chef: Midwest” in 2019 and 2020 (for Michael Gallina). “What can we say? This is the ultimate recognition for the hard work of our entire team,” Tara says. “When Michael and I set out to open Vicia, we wanted to create something unique, inspiring, and truly reflective of not only our creative spirits but the hard work and passions of those in our community—the farmers, the growers, the artisans, and the talented team that works with us. We feel proud not only to have accomplished that but to be doing it for almost a decade! I’ve known in my heart that Vicia is an exceptional restaurant in this country. I’ve traveled all over and always walk away from other cities with a stronger appreciation for St. Louis and what Vicia creates every day. But to see it recognized on a national scale by the Beard Foundation is special beyond words. Michael and I had the pleasure of being on the stage back in 2015 with chef Dan [Barber] and the Blue Hill at Stone Barns team when we won the award for ‘Outstanding Restaurant.’ It’s surreal to see our own place on the same list!”
The Beard awards have eluded St. Louis for quite some time: There hasn’t been a local chef winner since 2017 when Sidney Street Cafe chef/owner Kevin Nashan took home the honors for “Best Chef: Midwest.” Gerard Craft won the award for Niche in 2015, the first Beard Award for him and the city.
The Beard finalists will be announced March 31, and the winners will be honored at a gala at the Lyric Opera of Chicago on June 15.
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