Dallas chefs Maggie Huff and Scott Girling are officially finalists for the 2026 James Beard Awards. Here’s everything you need to know.
In the world of cooking, the James Beard Award is one of the highest honors you can receive. The annual awards are given to chefs, writers, restaurateurs, food critics, and journalists who achieve excellency in their chosen fields. As the James Beard official website puts it, “The mission of the James Beard Awards® is to recognize exceptional talent and achievement in the culinary arts, hospitality, media, and broader food system, as well as a demonstrated commitment to equity, community, sustainability, and a culture where all can thrive.”
To receive a nomination is a distinct privilege, and to advance to the final stages of award consideration further cements that privilege for a handful of hardworking individuals. On Tuesday, it was announced that two chefs from Dallas are among the finalists still vying for one of the coveted 2026 James Beard Awards: Maggie Huff from Lucia in Oak Cliff, and Scott Girling from Osteria il Muro in Denton. Huff is nominated for the Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker award and Girling is up for Best Chef: Texas.
According to WFAA, the award Huff is nominated for is granted to a “pastry chef or baker who makes desserts, pastries, or breads. The candidate demonstrates exceptional skills and can be affiliated with any food business and does not need a brick-and-mortar presence.” For Girling’s category, the Best Chef awards are given out on a regional basis to “chefs who set high standards in their culinary skills and leadership abilities and who are making efforts to help create a sustainable work culture in their respective regions. A candidate may be from any kind of dining establishment but must have been working as a chef in the region for at least three years.”
The Dallas duo is in good company, as several other Texas-based restaurants, chefs, and restaurateurs have advanced to the finals alongside them.
Texas is well represented in this year’s awards
We’ll have to wait on bated breath until the winners are officially announced at the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards held on June 15 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, but in the meantime, we’re going to be celebrating Texas’s impressive inclusion in the 2026 James Beard Award nominations. Each of these individuals is a first-time finalist, making the occasion even sweeter. Alongside Dallas’s Scott Girling, the following people are nominated for Best Chef: Texas:
- Finn Walter from Lubbock’s The Nicolett
- Ope Amosu from Houston’s ChòpnBlọk
- Melissa Padilla and Gabe Padilla from Socorro’s Cafe Piro
- Henry Lu and Evelyn Garcia from Houston’s JŪN
For national categories, Dallas’s Maggie Huff will represent Texas as previously mentioned in the Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker category. The other Lone Star finalists include:
- San Antonio’s Mixtli for Outstanding Restaurant
- Adrian Torres from Houston’s Maximo for Emerging Chef
- Tracy Vaught and Hugo Ortega from Houston’s H-Town Restaurant Group for Outstanding Restaurateur
- Houston’s Agnes and Sherman for Best New Restaurant
- June Rodil from Houston’s March for Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service
- Tavel Bristol-Joseph from San Antonio’s Nicosi for Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker
In 2025, six restaurants and chefs from Dallas made the finals, so it’s nice to see North Texas consistently receiving the recognition it deserves for its culinary excellency.
