James Beard Awards

Dallas chefs come up short as Houston wins big at James Beard Awards

Maggie Huff's award-winning desserts are worth a visit to Lucia, even if she didn't take home the Beard Award.

Courtesy photo

Two Dallas-area chefs were finalists for 2026 James Beard Awards, but neither took home the coveted medal from the star-studded awards ceremony, held June 15 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.

They were:

Maggie Huff, Lucia (Dallas), nominated for Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker
Scott Girling, Osteria il Muro (Denton), nominated for Best Chef: Texas

Eight semifinalist nominations from DFW had been announced in January, but just two had advanced to the finals.

While she didn't win the Beard Award, Huff's Lucia won Dessert Program of the Year in the 2026 CultureMap Dallas Tastemaker Awards.The nomination read, "With Maggie Huff, 2026 James Beard finalist for Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker, at the helm, it’s no surprise Lucia’s dessert program is a standout. The intimate, award-winning Italian eatery in Bishop Arts serves a rotating menu with sweet bites such as semolina cake with roasted grapes, rosemary, honey, and pistachio ice cream. Diners can opt for a tropical escape with coconut sorbet with nectarines and lime and mint pesto. For an earthy experience, there’s the hazelnut frangipane and goat cheese tart with figs and balsamic vinegar ice cream."

Girling, meanwhile, was nominated for Dallas Tastemaker Awards' Rising Star Chef of the Year. His nomination read, "This chef is making waves far beyond the walls of his cozy Italian eatery in Denton. Girling was recently named a 2026 James Beard finalist for Best Chef: Texas. The Culinary School of Fort Worth graduate, who later moved to Italy to immerse himself in the cuisine, has been serving homestyle Italian dishes at the reservation-only restaurant since 2021. He crafts traditional plates such as ricotta gnocchi, fried squash blossoms, and oysters finished tomato mignonette and Thai basil."

Considered the Oscars of the food world, the awards recognize excellence by chefs and other culinary professionals in a wide range of categories from Outstanding Chef to Best New Restaurant. In 2025, the James Beard Foundation added three new categories to recognize the beverage side of hospitality: Best New Bar, Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service, and Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service.

Winners must also have “demonstrated commitment to racial and gender equity, community, sustainability, and a culture where all can thrive,” according to the organization’s website.

Osteria il Muro, Denton Agnolotti at Osteria il Muro in Denton, where chef Scott Girling has been named a James Beard Award finalist. Facebook/Osteria il Muro

Houston wins big
Texas was well represented by Houston, which had a historic night at the Awards. Two of Houston’s six finalists took home prizes for both national awards and Best Chef: Texas:

Emerging Chef: Adrian Torres, Maximo
Best Chef Texas: Evelyn Garcia and Henry Lu, Jūn

Houston’s other finalists were: June Rodil (March) for Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service; Ope Amosu (ChòpnBlọk) for Best Chef: Texas; Agnes and Sherman for Best New Restaurant, and Hugo Ortega and Tracy Vaught (H-Town Restaurant Group) for Outstanding Restaurateur.

Other Texas nominees included: Tavel Bristol-Joseph (Nicosi, San Antonio) for Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker and Mixtli in San Antonio for Outstanding Restaurant.

The other nominees for Best Chef: Texas were: Gabe Padilla and Melissa Padilla, (Cafe Piro in Socorro), and Finn Walter (The Nicolett in Lubbock).

James Beard Awards Lindsey Brown Chris Shepherd Southern Smoke Foundation Lindsey Brown, center, and Chris Shepherd, right, at the Impact Awards. Photo by Max Flatow

In addition, the Houston-based Southern Smoke Foundation, a nonprofit that provides emergency assistance and mental health services to hospitality workers, received an Impact Award at a separate ceremony on Sunday, June 14.

Houston's two wins establish the city as a culinary destination. They follow Thomas Bille of Belly of the Beast in Spring winning Best Chef: Texas in 2025 and Benchawan Jabthong Painter (Street to Kitchen) winning the same category in 2023, meaning the city’s chefs have now won three of the last four awards in that category. Torres is only the second Houstonian to win a national award, following Southern-inspired cocktail bar Julep’s win for Outstanding Bar Program in 2022.

“I am proud to be the son of immigrants. I am proud to be an immigrant. And I am proud to be a DACA recipient,” Torres, 27, said to applause from the crowd of culinary professionals as he accepted his Beard Award.

“Tonight, the headline is that a brown kid from the Northside, raised by parents who sacrificed everything for the chance at a better life, is standing on this stage accepting one of the highest honors in this industry,” he added.

James Beard Awards Evelyn Garcia Henry Lu Jun Evelyn Garcia and Henry Lu won Best Chef: Texas.Photo by Casey Giltner

After establishing themselves by serving casual fare at pop-ups and farmers markets, Garcia and Lu opened Jūn in 2023. Billed as a New Asian American restaurant, it features a wide-ranging menu that includes charred cabbage with tofu Caesar dressing, carrots with everything salsa matcha, and the signature fried chicken that’s seasoned with shrimp paste, ginger, and Thai chili. In 2025, they opened Third Place, a daytime concept in the Jūn space that showcases pop-ups from both established and up-and-coming chefs.

Like Torres, Lu also celebrated his immigrant parents. “I want to thank our immigrant parents who lived the American dream and put us where we are today. They invested so much in us. Everything we are today is because of them,” he said.

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Stephanie Allmon Merry contributed to this story.

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coming attraction

Glitzy celebrity steakhouse Juliet to debut in Dallas Design District

Courtesy of Juliet

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A movie theater-inspired steakhouse that's become a celebrity magnet in Houston is coming soon to Dallas: Juliet, a premier upscale steakhouse and "cinematic dining destination," will open at 1400 Hi Line Dr., next to Delilah, in the Design District.

According to a release, it'll debut in summer 2026. Exact date: TBA.

Juliet boldly promises "an elevated experience unlike anything currently in the DFW dining landscape," the release proclaims, and then continues like a movie trailer:

"Dallas already knows Delilah, the buzzy, celebrity-magnet supper club that took the Design District by storm and had the city's most discerning diners scrambling for reservations. Now, right next door, something new is about to make its entrance. Juliet is coming, and if you thought Delilah turned heads, wait until you see what's walking in beside it."

Juliet debuted in Houston in 2022 from owner James McGhee and executive chef Jeff Auld, who will helm the Dallas kitchen, too.

Juliet Restaurant gold tomahawk Gold-wrapped steak at Juliet Steakhouse in Houston. Photo by In-House Social

In his first look, CultureMap Houston dining editor Eric Sandler wrote that "Juliet does things a little differently than most restaurants," from the entrance that looks like the lobby of a movie theater (complete with popcorn machine) to pops of gold throughout the interior - and the food.

Yes, the food.

"Perhaps inspired by Nusr-Et, the steakhouse owned by chef Nusret 'Salt Bae' Gökçe, Juliet offers a gold-wrapped, 24-ounce tomahawk ribeye," Sandler wrote in 2022. "Priced at $325, it’s an eye-catching presentation that’s sure to show up on social media, especially when paired with the Godfather, a $50 cocktail made with Hennessey XO, Grand Marnier Cinquantenaire, Glenmorangie X, and a gold leaf garnish."

“I’d seen other foods wrapped in gold. I asked the chef if it was something we could do,” McGhee told CultureMap Houston at the time. “We tried it. It still tastes good. We put it on the menu.”

The Dallas release does not mention gold food, but it does promise a menu centered on premium steaks and fresh seafood, complemented by craft cocktails created specifically for Dallas and an extensive wine list.

The Dallas Juliet interior will be built around a “movie theater” concept, they say, with classic films playing in the background and cinematic design elements throughout. There will be a glass room, flower wall, private dining, and event spaces. Upscale attire will be required.

They promise an ambiance that is both dramatic and intimate.

"The Dallas location will deliver an even more elevated atmosphere and venue than the Houston original, a deliberate step up in scale and sophistication designed to match the ambition of the Dallas dining scene," they say.

Jordan Chiles Juliet Restaurant Jordan Chiles posed with her 2024 Olympic gold medal in front of Juliet's flower wall. Courtesy of Juliet

Juliet in Houston has become a hot spot for celebrities passing through or celebrating milestones, with the restaurant always eager to share photos and details:

This past March, Lizzo celebrated her sold-out concert at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo with an epic feast at Juliet, the owner told CultureMap. The multi-hyphenate and her entourage went to Juliet for a private, post-show meal and dined on “literally everything on the menu," including signature items such as Korean crispy short rib tacos, the blue crab and avocado stack, and an array of steaks and sides. They also posed for photos at the restaurant’s signature rose wall.

Earlier that week, the restaurant shared a photo with Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green, who celebrated his birthday there while in town for a game against the Houston Rockets.

In February 2025, rapper Drake surprised diners at Juliet on Valentine’s Day by treating the patrons to dinner. A video appeared on the restaurant's Instagram stories showing two female employees approaching a dinner-party table full of ladies and letting them know that the Certified Lover Boy was hooking them up. Drake, who had hosted events at Juliet in the past, reached out to the owner to make it happen, according to a press release.

Olympic gymnast Jordan Chiles celebrated her gold medal there in 2024, at an “All Gold” event hosted by Ace of Spades Champagne. She feasted, appropriately, on Juliet’s signature "The Golden Star" 36-ounce tomahawk ribeye wrapped in 24-karat gold. Sporting her gold medal, the star athlete posed for pics shared by the restaurant.

Musician Megan Thee Stallion is also reportedly a fan of the restaurant.

Why expand to Dallas?

"The Dallas market has consistently been one of Juliet Houston’s strongest sources of interest, with a significant and loyal base of Dallas visitors already dining at the Houston location," the release says. "The expansion into Dallas is a direct response to that demand and a natural evolution for a brand that has proven itself as one of Houston’s most culturally significant dining destinations."

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CultureMap Houston editor Eric Sandler contributed to this story.

celebrities dallas design district juliet openings steakhouse

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coming attraction

Glitzy celebrity steakhouse Juliet to debut in Dallas Design District