Taste America Announces TasteTwenty

The James Beard Foundation® (JBF) announces the 2025-2026 lineup of exciting TasteTwenty chefs, its annual selection of “ones to watch” in the industry, who will represent their city throughout the national Taste America series, presented by Capital One. Through the TasteTwenty, the Foundation—the organization behind the prestigious James Beard Awards®—recognizes some of the industry’s finest talent and changemakers who exemplify the organization’s guiding principle of Good Food for Good®. The cohort is part of the Foundation's ongoing commitment to identifying and elevating the outstanding chefs who are at the forefront of American food culture. From 2025 TIME 100 honoree Nok Suntaranon to celebrated chefs Serigne Mbaye and Ana Castro—these are just a few examples of the many TasteTwenty alumni who have gone on to receive widespread national acclaim.

Each chef of the TasteTwenty cohort is chosen not only for their exceptional culinary talent but also for their meaningful contributions beyond the kitchen. They're champions of positive change—from investing in their teams, supporting sustainable agriculture, \s, advocating for a more resilient food system, and more. The newest class continues this tradition of celebrating chefs who combine exceptional craft with meaningful industry impact.

Presenting the 2025-2026 cohort of TasteTwenty chefs:

• Culinary Corps chef, Chef Bootcamp alum, and James Beard Award Nominee® Ashleigh Shanti of Good Hot Fish (Asheville, NC)

• James Beard Award Semifinalist® Douglass Williams of MIDA (Boston, MA)

• Jaqueline Hernandez of Bar Sótano (Chicago, IL)

• Stephen Rogers of James Beard Award Semifinalist® Sachet and James Beard Award Nominee® Gemma (Dallas, TX)

• James Beard Award Semifinalists® Anna and Ni Nguyen of James Beard Award Semifinalist® sắp sửa (Denver, CO)

• James Beard Award Nominee® Sarah Welch of James Beard Award Semifinalist® Marrow Detroit and Mink Detroit (Detroit, MI)

• James Beard Award Semifinalist® Ope Amosu of ChòpnBlọk (Houston, TX)

• Vivian Ku of Pine & Crane and Joy (Los Angeles, CA)

• Aaron Brooks of Sunny’s (Miami, FL)

• James Beard Award Semifinalist® Dung "Junior" Vo of Noko and Kase x Noko (Nashville, TN)

• James Beard Award Semifinalist® Nicole Cabrera Mills of James Beard Award Winner® Pêche (New Orleans, LA)

• James Beard Award Nominee® Mary Attea of Musket Room, Raf’s, and Cafe Zaffri (New York, NY)

• James Beard Award Semifinalist® Yun Fuentes of BOLO (Philadelphia, PA)

• Chef Bootcamp Alum Digby Stridiron of Latha (Phoenix, AZ) 

• Taylor Manning and Siobhan Manning of Cafe Olli (Portland, OR)

• James Beard Award Semifinalist® Azalina Eusope of Azalina’s (San Francisco, CA)

• James Beard Award Semifinalist® Francis Guzmán of James Beard Award Semifinalist® Vianda (San Juan, PR)

• Kathleen Crook of Market Steer Steakhouse (Santa Fe, NM)

• Elmer Dulla of James Beard Award Semifinalist® familyfriend (Seattle, WA)

• James Beard Award Semifinalists® Isabel Coss and Matt Conroy of Pascual (Washington, D.C)

Now in its 13th year, the Taste America national series celebrates the richness and diversity of American food culture and the independent restaurants at the heart of our communities and economy. Across 20 U.S. cities, the series offers diners a firsthand experience of the unique flavors, regional specialties, and innovations shaping American dining. Events include intimate chef-led dinners with curated menus and wine pairings to expansive walk-around tasting events featuring exciting creations from local guest chefs—all hosted by the acclaimed TasteTwenty cohort representing their respective city. 

The series will launch in Los Angeles on Tuesday, July 29 with a major kickoff event featuring all TasteTwenty chefs—offering an unprecedented opportunity for food enthusiasts to experience delicious bites from the entire cohort under one roof. The walk-around tasting event will feature multiple food and beverage stations—spotlighting each chef's signature style and culinary perspective. Following the Los Angeles kickoff, the series will continue across the United States through March 2026—with each event thoughtfully crafted to reflect the distinctive character of each host city’s food scene and independent restaurant community.

Attending a Taste America event offers a unique opportunity to experience exceptional food, support the JBF mission, and become part of a vibrant national culinary community. Proceeds from all Taste America events directly benefit the Foundation's national impact programming, which supports a more sustainable, equitable, and thriving future for independent restaurants and the broader food system. Last year's series attracted thousands of diners across the country, bringing together talented chefs, food enthusiasts, and industry professionals in celebration of America's rich culinary heritage and promising future. 

Tickets are on sale now for the launch and first fourTaste America events:

• July 29 (Los Angeles, CA): walk-around tasting hosted by TasteTwenty Chef Vivian Ku (Pine & Crane and Joy) featuring the full lineup of TasteTwenty chefs

• September 3 (Asheville, NC): dinner featuring TasteTwenty Chef Ashleigh Shanti (Good Hot Fish) collaborating with Chef William Dissen (The Market Place)

• September 10 (Denver, CO): dinner featuringTasteTwenty Chefs Anna and Ni Nguyen (sắp sửa) collaborating with Executive Chef Josh Fryer and Pastry Chef Molly Coen (Edge Restaurant & Bar, Four Seasons Hotel Denver)

• September 23 (Detroit, MI): dinner featuring TasteTwenty Chef Sarah Welch (Marrow Detroit and Mink Detroit) collaborating with Chef Alison Heeres (Coriander Kitchen and Farm)

• September 24 (New Orleans, LA): dinner featuring TasteTwenty Chef Nicole Cabrera Mills (Pêche) collaborating with Chef Camille Cook (Mosquito Supper Club)

The remaining events will take place through March 2026. Visit jamesbeard.org/tasteamerica for tickets and final dates to be announced (*additional guest chefs to be announced):

• October 2025 

  • October 21 (Washington, D.C.): dinner featuring TasteTwenty chefs Isabel Coss and Matt Conroy of Pascual and Amy Brandwein of Centrolina

  • October 26 (Seattle, WA): walk-around tasting featuring TasteTwenty chef Elmer Dulla of familyfriend

  • October 29 (Miami, FL): dinner featuring TasteTwenty chef Aaron Brooks of Sunny’s and Michelle Bernstein of Sra. Martinez

  • Date TBC (Houston, TX): walk-around tasting featuring TasteTwenty chef Ope Amosu of ChòpnBlọk

• November 2025

  • November 4 (Portland, OR): dinner featuring TasteTwenty chefs Taylor Manning and Siobhan Manning of Cafe Olli 

  • November 12 (Santa Fe, NM): dinner featuring TasteTwenty chef Kathleen Crook of Market Steer Steakhouse and guest Chef Allison Jenkins of Arroyo Vino

• February 2026

  • February 2 (Nashville, TN): dinner featuring TasteTwenty chef Dung "Junior" Vo of Noko and Kase x Noko and guest Chef Chris Biard of SS Gai

  • February 22 (San Francisco Bay Area, CA): walk-around tasting featuring TasteTwenty chef Azalina Eusope of Azalina’s 

  • February 24 (New York, NY): walk-around tasting featuring TasteTwenty chef Mary Attea of Musket Room, Raf’s, and Cafe Zaffri 

  • Date TBC (Boston, MA): walk-around tasting featuring TasteTwenty chef Douglass Williams of MIDA

  • Date TBC (Phoenix, AZ): dinner featuring TasteTwenty chef Digby Stridiron of Latha

• March 2026

  • March 3 (Dallas, TX): dinner featuring TasteTwenty chef Stephen Rogers of Sachet and Gemma and guest Chef Michelle Carpenter of Restaurant Beatrice

  • March 8 (San Juan, PR): dinner featuring TasteTwenty chef Francis Guzmán of Vianda and Sebastian Rosado of Levant

  • Date TBC (Chicago, IL): dinner featuring TasteTwenty chef Jaqueline Hernandez of Bar Sótano 

  • Date TBC (Philadelphia, PA): walk-around tasting featuring TasteTwenty chef Yun Fuentes of BOLO

For more information on the Taste America series and the TasteTwenty cohort, visit jamesbeard.org/tasteamerica. For information on the James Beard Foundation’s programs and initiatives, please visit jamesbeard.org.