Aria, Mujo named Atlanta’s only James Beard Award 2026 finalists

Atlanta’s food scene continues to capture national attention with two James Beard Award 2026 finalists.

The finalists were announced Tuesday morning on the James Beard Foundation’s social media account with two Atlanta nominees appearing on the list.

Mujō executive chef J. Trent Harris was named a finalist in the Best Chef: Southeast category, while Aria was a finalist in the Outstanding Hospitality category for the second year in a row.

A couple with Atlanta connections also earned a finalist nod: Meherwan Irani and Molly Irani made it to the final round in the Outstanding Restaurateur category. The couple owns Chai Pani in Decatur and Botiwalla in Ponce City Market. Both restaurants have locations in Asheville and elsewhere.

Georgia finalist chefs and beverage professionals for the James Beard Awards 2026

Outstanding Hospitality

• Aria, Atlanta

Best Chef: Southeast

• J. Trent Harris, Mujō, Atlanta

Mujō owner Federico Castellucci told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that his wife, also the director of marketing for their hospitality group, was the one who broke the news about J. Trent Harris’ finalist nomination to him.

“It’s very big news for her as well,” he said with a laugh. “We’re very excited, happy for Trent and the entire team.”

They won’t have much time to celebrate right now, he said, since they’re in the midst of opening their newest restaurant Koshu Club, of which Harris will also be the executive chef.

This is Harris’ first time as a James Beard Award semifinalist and finalist, Castellucci said. For Harris and the Mujō team, it’s recognition of “what we’ve accomplished there over the four years and what (Harris has) been able to do in that restaurant.”

Mujō was also named the best restaurant in Atlanta by the AJC last year, and it has earned a Michelin star for all the years the guide has covered the metro area.

This is the second year in a row that Aria has been named a finalist in the Outstanding Hospitality category. The restaurant underwent a major change in ownership last year when longtime manager Andres Loaiza bought the restaurant from former owner and chef Gerry Klaskala. Aria was ranked seventh in the AJC’s top 50 restaurants in 2025.

What are the James Beard Awards?

The James Beard Foundation began giving out the first James Beard Awards in 1991 as a way to “recognize exceptional talent and achievement in the culinary arts, hospitality, media and broader food system,” according to the website.

James Beard was a famous American chef, cookbook author and pioneer of TV cooking shows who rose to prominence in the late 1940s. He was “the first to suspect that classic American culinary traditions might cohere into a national cuisine, and an early champion of local products and markets,” according to the website.

Each year, the Foundation recognizes excellent restaurants and chefs around the U.S. in a variety of categories including Outstanding Restaurateur, Outstanding Chef, Emerging Chef, Best New Bar and Best Chef for each region.

Another category, the Achievement Awards, includes recognitions for Impact, Lifetime Achievement and Humanitarian of the Year, all of which honor individuals and organizations that “push for standards that create a more equitable, sustainable and economically viable restaurant industry and food system.”

At the start of the awards process, there’s an open call for the general public, industry professionals and the judging body to submit restaurants and hospitality professionals for consideration by a subcommittee.

The subcommittee, which is made up of volunteers from the media and food and beverage industry, reviews the submissions along with a team of judges in each category.

This year’s semifinalists were announced in January, with 10 Georgia chefs, bars, restaurants and beverage professionals making the list, followed by the finalists in March.

The winners will be announced during a ceremony in Chicago on June 15 where they will receive a medallion and a certificate.

What is the Best Chef: Southeast category in the James Beard Awards?

The Best Chef: Southeast category in the James Beard Awards recognizes the 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,” according to the website.

This category is divided by region, so the finalists in the Southeast category represent Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia. In order to be considered, a chef must have been working in the region for at least three years. The award can be given to a sole winning chef or a pair or team of chefs who are considered equal partners.

Atlanta often sees semifinalists in the Best Chef: Southeast category.

In recent memory, Atlantans who took home the award in this category include chef Terry Koval of Decatur restaurant The Deer and The Dove and B-Side, who won in 2023; Miller Union chef and co-owner Steven Satterfield, who won in 2017; and Hugh Acheson and Linton Hopkins, who tied in 2012.

Which Atlanta chefs didn’t advance to the James Beard Award finals?

These Atlanta chefs, restaurants and beverage professionals were semifinalists but did not advance to the next round:

Best New Bar

• Madeira Park, Atlanta
• Lucky Star, Atlanta

Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service

• Miles Macquarrie, Kimball House, Decatur

Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service

• Taurean Philpott, Avize, Atlanta

Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker

• Claudia Martinez, Bar Ana, Atlanta