James Beard Award Nominees 2026

US Foodways

Kwéyòl / Creole: Recipes, Stories, and Tings from a St. Lucian Chef’s Journey by Nina Compton

US Foodways

Turtle Island: Foods and Traditions of the Indigenous Peoples of North America by Sean Sherman (EYBDigital Preview)

Baking and Desserts

Baking & the Meaning of Life: How to Find Joy in 100 Recipes by Helen Goh (EYBDigital Preview)

Baking and Dessert

Dobre Dobre: Baking from Poland and Beyond by Laurel Kratochvila

Baking and Dessert

Mali Bakes: Make and Decorate the Retro Cakes of your Dreams by Patti Chimkire

Beverage without Recipes

Wine Simple – Perfect Pairings: An Ingenious Guide to Enjoying Food with Wine by Aldo Sohm (EYBDigital Preview)

Beverage without Recipes

The Obituary Cocktail: Iconic New Orleans Cocktail by Sue Strachan

Beverage without Recipes

Wine Pairing for the People: The Communion of Wine, Food, and Culture from Africa and Beyond by Cha McCoy

Beverage with Recipes

The Madrusan Cocktail Companion: 2800+ Cocktails with Contributions from 100 of the World’s Best Bartenders by Michael Madrusan and Zara Madrusan

Reference, History and Scholarship

Breadfruit: Three Global Journeys of a Bountiful Tree by Russell Fielding

Reference, History and Scholarship

Nile Nightshade: An Egyptian Culinary History of the Tomato by Anny Gaul

Reference, History and Scholarship

Tequila Wars: José Cuervo and the Bloody Struggle for the Spirit of Mexico by Ted Genoways

Food Issues and Advocacy

Eating Behind Bars: Ending the Hidden Punishment of Food in Prison by Alex Busansky, Leslie Soble, and Aishatu Yusuf

Food Issues and Advocacy

The Lobster Trap: The Global Fight for a Seafood on the Brink by Greg Mercer

Food Issues and Advocacy

What to Eat Now: The Indispensable Guide to Good Food, How to Find It, and Why It Matters by Marion Nestle

General

By Heart: Recipes to Hold Near and Dear by Hailee Catalano (EYBDigital Preview)

General

Flavour Heroes: 15 Modern Pantry Ingredients to Amplify Your Cooking by Gurdeep Loyal

General

Something from Nothing by Alison Roman

International

Ghana to the World: Recipes and Stories That Look Forward While Honoring the Past by Eric Adjepong and Korsha Wilson (EYBDigital Preview)

International

Kin – Caribbean Recipes for the Modern Kitchen by Marie Mitchell

International

Thai: Anywhere and Everywhere by Nat Thaipun (EYBDigital Preview)

Literary Writing

Dirty Kitchen: A Memoir of Food and Family by Jill Damatac

Literary Writing

Strong Roots: A Memoir of Food, Family, and Ukraine by Olia Hercules

Visuals

Mali Bakes: Make and Decorate the Retro Cakes of your Dreams by Patti Chimkire

Restaurant and Professional

House of Nanking: Family Recipes from San Francisco’s Favorite Chinese Restaurant by Kathy Fang and Peter Fang

Restaurant and Professional

Russ & Daughters: 100 Years of Appetizing by Niki Russ Federman and Josh Russ Tupper and Joshua David Stein

Single Subject

Homemade Ramen by Sho Spaeth

Single Subject

The Japanese Art of Pickling and Fermenting: Preserving Vegetables and Family Traditions by Yoko Nakazawa

Vegetable-Focused Cooking

Comida Casera: More Than 100 Vegan Recipes, from Traditional to Modern Mexican Dishes by Dora Ramírez

Vegetable-Focused Cooking

Dal Chawal: 85 Vegetarian Indian Recipes Combining the Power of Dal and Rice by Sapna Punjabi (EYBDigital Preview)

Cookbook Hall of Fame

TBD