James Beard Foundation

Dine and Discover / DiscoverDiscover / StoriesStories / Meet the 2026 Women's Entrepreneurial Leadership Cohort Today, we are excited to announce the 2026 cohort of the Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership (WEL) program. WEL, a flagship initiative of the JBF Institute, is an eleven-week virtual program that provides advanced educational, training, and networking opportunities for owners or co-owners of brick-and-mortar food or beverage businesses in the United States.

Dine and Discover / DiscoverDiscover / StoriesStories / Ahnest Kitchen Is Preserving a Labor of Love Sometimes, the best chefs are the ones that you haven’t heard of (yet). They’re the everyday cooking heroes like Nam Soon Ahn, whose Korean family recipes and stories were brought to life by her daughter, Sarah Ahn of Ahnest Kitchen.

Our Work / AwardsAwards / Awards RFI Since the first ceremony in 1991, the James Beard Awards® have been among the nation’s most prestigious food honors. Each year, the Awards recognize culinary excellence, celebrating chefs, restaurateurs, media, and food system leaders who are shaping America’s food culture. The James Beard Awards are made up of three programs dedicated to honoring the best in American food: the Restaurant and Chef Awards, the Media Awards, and the Impact Awards.

Dine and Discover / DiscoverDiscover / StoriesStories / 10 Tips on How to Use AI Tools in the Restaurant Business Our 2026 Independent Restaurant Industry Report, in collaboration with Deloitte, established that owners and operators are overwhelmed by a technology landscape defined by a constant influx of more tools, more platforms, and more decisions. While widely viewed as essential, operators expressed uncertainty around where to invest as tech systems become more expensive and interconnected.

Dine and Discover / DiscoverDiscover / StoriesStories / The 2026 James Beard Award Winners Congratulations to the winners of the 2026 James Beard Foundation Restaurant and Chef Awards presented by American Express and Resy! This year's James Beard Award winners were announced Monday, June 15, 2026 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.

Dine and Discover / DiscoverDiscover / StoriesStories / The 2026 James Beard Media Award Winners Congratulations to the winners of the 2026 James Beard Media Awards presented by American Express and Resy. The Media Awards took place at the Art Institute of Chicago on Saturday, June 13 and honored the nation’s top food authors, broadcast producers, hosts, journalists, podcasters, and social media content creators.

Dine and Discover / DiscoverDiscover / StoriesStories / What to Expect at the 2026 James Beard Awards Weekend The 2026 James Beard Awards® presented by American Express and Resy kick off in Chicago this weekend, and we are thrilled to celebrate with our community of chefs, changemakers, and food lovers. Whether you’re joining us in the Chicago or tuning into our livestreams and behind-the-scenes action, here's everything you need to know to enjoy the biggest weekend in food.

Dine and Discover / DiscoverDiscover / StoriesStories / Pastry Chef Paola Velez Says “Put It in the Freezer!” When pastry chef Paola Velez isn’t creating viral desserts like Baked Alaska Shaved Ice at Providencia, a 22-seat bar she co-owns in Washington, D.C., she says she’s “chronically online.” After working with some of the biggest names in pastry and co-founding Bakers Against Racism, a grassroots bake sale and social justice initiative, Velez began to share her gift of gab with a...

Dine and Discover / DiscoverDiscover / StoriesStories / Amplifying Immigrant Voices If anyone understands the power of food storytelling, it’s chef, author, and activist Grace Ramirez. She started her career in television production, notably as a director and producer of Throwdown! with Bobby Flay.

Dine and Discover / DiscoverDiscover / StoriesStories / Dining with Dignity at JBJ Soul Kitchen “Have you dined with us before?” It's a standard question asked in restaurants, but at JBJ Soul Kitchen (JBJSK), it has deeper implications beyond hospitality or highlighting additions to the seasonal menu. Here, the question is posed by a JBJSK community coordinator, who welcomes and seats guests as well as explains JBJSK’s mission and pay-it-forward model to first-time visitors.