The James Beard Foundation named a Tampa chef a Best Chef in the South semifinalist and a Lakeland bakery among the nations best for Outstanding Bakery.This is one of the most prestigious culinary competitions in the world, and it just revealed its semifinalists for the 2026 Restaurant and Chef Awards.For 36 years, the James Beard Awards have served as the leading benchmark for excellence in food culture, influencing how culinary achievement is recognized and understood nationwide.The recognition can be transformative for chefs and restaurants, often leading to significant visibility, new opportunities, and lasting economic benefits. In 2025, a vast majority of semifinalists reported positive business and community impacts from the honor, according to the James Beard Foundation.Nominees will be announced on March 31, and winners will be celebrated at the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards Ceremony on June 15, 2026, at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.For a full list of the semifinalists, click here. ...read more read less