The culinary equivalent of the Oscars, the James Beard Awards were established in 1990 to celebrate excellence among food-industry professionals across 25 categories, from chefs, bartenders, and restaurant owners to journalists, designers, and humanitarians.
Seven Hoosiers—all first-time nominees—are included on the 2026 list of semi-finalists released January 21, a significant jump from two Indiana nominations in 2025. All agree that the recognition speaks well of Indiana’s collaborative culinary community and the direction it seems to be heading.
And the James Beard nominees are:
Tom Main, Tinker Street and Freeland’s
Nominated for: Best Restaurateur
Main launched his restaurant journey by working at Fletcher’s American Grill & Cafe and Some Guys Pizza, co-founding Puccini’s Smiling Teeth in 1991. Tinker Street opened in 2015, followed by Festiva in 2017 (now closed) and Freeland’s in 2025.
“You realize how much bigger this recognition is than any one person; it reflects the entire team and the journey we’ve been on together,” he says. “I’ve been in this industry a long time, and to receive this kind of recognition at this point in my career feels both validating and motivating.”
Youssef Boudarine, J’adore Pastry
Nominated for: Best Pastry Chef
The Morocco native has developed dessert programs for a number of heavy-hitting local restaurants since his move to Indy in 2016. He created J’adore Pastry in 2022 and last year launched Epicurean Indy, an international festival and culinary event celebrating food, music, and, art.
“We are lucky to have so many talented people with wildly different backgrounds choose Indiana as their home,” he says. “I will keep working to highlight the underrepresented voices that make Indy a city that is culturally rich, and to celebrate the locals who are supporting this mission.”
Aaron Hansen, Lone Pine
Nominated for: Best Chef, Great Lakes region
Hansen got his first taste of restaurant work washing dishes in a deli at age 15. His career has since taken him through everything from fast food to fine dining with stints at Flatwater, Beholder, Bluebeard, and Milktooth. After spending two years in Maine, he joined Lone Pine in fall 2024, where he excels at dreaming up inventive re-interpretations of classic steakhouse fare.
“I’ve been grinding in this industry for half my life, and I’ve worked with some of the best chefs in the city who’ve taught me so much,” he says. “Being able to represent Indy in this way is a big honor.”
Omar Ramirez and Luz Gonza, Macizo
Nominated for: Best Chef, Great Lakes region
This husband-and-wife team rely on family traditions rooted in their respective Mexican and Peruvian cultures to create a unique and deeply personal fusion cuisine at Macizo, open since fall 2024.
“To be recognized at this level, especially so early in our journey, feels surreal,” Gonza says. “It validates the risk we took in opening Macizo and staying true to ourselves rather than following trends. We truly hope we make the cut, but even being named a semifinalist already means so much to us.”
Michael Bowe, Red Yeti
Nominated for: Best Chef, Great Lakes region
Bowe attended the Culinary Institute of America in New York and worked as a corporate executive chef, instructor, and restaurateur before opening Red Yeti in Jeffersonville in 2014, showcasing elevated spins on Southern cuisine that he describes as “if someone’s grandma went to culinary school.”
“Just to be mentioned in a group that also includes chefs from Chicago, Indy, Cincinnati, Detroit, it’s huge,” he says. “It means a lot that the James Beard judges and members are starting to pay more attention to the smaller towns and communities.”
Jared May, Vida
Nominated for: Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service
Currently pursuing his Level 3 Advanced Sommelier Certification in the Court of Master Sommeliers North America, May honed his chops in Terre Haute and at Nesso Italian before joining Vida as General Manager and Wine Director in 2022.
“At Vida, we often say small things add up to big things—pay attention to the details, and the rest will work itself out,” he says. “This is a testament to the hard work, love, and passion we put in every day. I’m so excited to share this with my generous and talented team, our incredible and supportive guests, and the city of Indianapolis.”
James Beard finalists will be announced on March 31, with the annual awards ceremony scheduled to take place June 15 at the Lyric Opera in Chicago. For more information, go to jamesbeard.org.
