Dubbed “the Oscars of the food world,” the James Beard Foundation Awards honor culinary excellence, innovation, sustainability, and cultural impact across more than two dozen categories—from Best Chef and Outstanding Restaurant to Best New Bar and Bakery. Winning or even being named a semifinalist is a career-making distinction, elevating kitchens across the country onto the national stage. The last few years, Oklahoma has been showing up and showing out, gaining well-deserved national cache.
For years, Oklahoma’s culinary landscape was seen mostly (and unfairly) as merely a place of hearty homestyle classics and hidden BBQ joints rather than the kind of boundary-pushing gastronomy that catches Beard judges’ eyes. But that narrative has changed. From Tulsa’s evolving downtown food labs to Oklahoma City’s eclectic dining, Oklahoma chefs are forging identities rooted in local ingredients and global techniques. The 2026 semifinalist roster gives Oklahoma a seat at the table, showcasing veterans who have quietly built national reputations alongside fresh voices who are redefining what fine dining and hospitality look like in the heartland.
Outstanding Restaurant Semifinalist
FarmBar – Tulsa
Led by the inimitable Lisa Becklund, with her partner Linda Ford, FarmBar is the city-slicker sister to the Living Kitchen dynasty. Since Becklund and Ford dreamed up their farm-centric vision on a small plot outside Tulsa, the city’s culinary landscape has never been the same; diners now expect menus that are seasonal and rooted in Oklahoma soil. FarmBar’s specialty is turning produce, pork, and dairy from Oklahoma fields into menus that feel both elemental and intentional. Becklund’s outfits are no strangers to James Beard Foundation judges. She was first tapped as a James Beard semifinalist for Best Chef: Southwest in 2020, then again in 2023, while the Living Kitchen Farm & Dairy received a James Beard nod for Outstanding Restaurant in 2022. Most recently, Becklund landed a 2025 semifinalist slot for Outstanding Chef, a testament to years of quietly persistent excellence.
Under the current stewardship of chef de cuisine Caleb Mohr, FarmBar continues to evolve while staying true to its agricultural ethos. So, the real question now isn’t “if” FarmBar will finally take home a Beard, but when.
Outstanding Restaurateur
Rachel Cope – 84 Hospitality (Empire Slice, Elisabetta, Goro Ramen, Burger Punk)
If hospitality were a love language, Rachel Cope would be fluent—and then some. As the force behind 84 Hospitality, Cope has built one of Oklahoma’s most influential restaurant groups, anchored by beloved concepts like Empire Slice, Elisabetta, Goro Ramen, and Burger Punk. Cope made her name in OKC, but has firmly worked her way into Tulsans’ affections as well. (Seriously, can you remember a time before Empire Slice House?)
Her nomination for Outstanding Restaurateur feels less like a surprise and more like a long-overdue acknowledgment. Cope’s restaurants strike a rare balance of beautiful food delivered with a sense of play, warmth, and genuine welcome. There’s whimsy here, yes—neon signs, bold flavors, cheeky branding—but it’s always grounded in heart.
Outstanding Restaurant Semifinalist
Nonesuch – Oklahoma City
A quietly cerebral tasting-menu destination where Oklahoma ingredients meet playful precision, Nonesuch is a regular on the Beard lists.
Best New Bar
Later Bye – Oklahoma City
A genre-blurring bar that pairs serious cocktails with art-school irreverence, proving OKC’s nightlife can be both brainy and fun.
Best Chef: Southwest (AZ, NM, NV, OK)
Jeff Chanchaleune, Bar Sen / Ma Der Lao – Oklahoma City
Jeff Chanchaleune’s more casual Lao noodle counter, Bar Sen, and his much-adored Ma Der Lao feature elevated flavors and tradition that stay soulful, slurpable, and grounded in heritage without ever feeling precious.
Brian Momanyi & Stayce Momanyi, Plus254 — Oklahoma City
East African flavors take center stage in this warmly run Kenyan spot, delivering bold spice, cultural storytelling, and heartfelt hospitality.
Zack Walters, Sedalia’s — Oklahoma City
A seafood-forward neighborhood restaurant with coastal finesse and Midwest restraint that’s elegant without ego, fresh without fuss.
Veronica Zelada, Café Kacao — Oklahoma City
A longtime OKC favorite serving Guatemalan comfort food with color, generosity, and consistency, Café Kacao is proof that popularity and excellence can coexist. Rarely is brunch worth waiting in line for, but this spot is a shining exception.
Restaurant and Chef finalists will be announced March 31, and winners will be announced June 2026, so make those rezzies and see what all the fuss is about.
