CA Chefs Named To James Beard List Of 20 'Chefs To Watch'

CALIFORNIA — Chefs from two California restaurants, in San Francisco and Los Angeles, were named in the James Beard Foundation’s 2026-27 TasteTwenty chefs, a national group of culinary professionals recognized as “ones to watch” in the independent restaurant industry.

The 20 chefs will headline events in their hometowns as part of the foundation’s Taste America culinary tour, which begins Sept. 16 in New Orleans and continues in cities across the country through March 2027.

The foundation said the chefs were selected not only for culinary talent but also for their work beyond the kitchen, including efforts such as supporting sustainable agriculture, investing in restaurant teams, elevating quality ingredients and advocating for a stronger food system.

Laura and Sayat Ozylmaz, chefs at Maria Isabel Restaurant in San Francisco, were recognized alongside chefs from cities including Houston, New York, Detroit, Washington, Philadelphia, Chicago, San Francisco, Seattle, Atlanta, Miami, Phoenix, Los Angeles and New Orleans.

The James Beard Foundation, a New York-based nonprofit named for the late chef and food writer James Beard, is one of the country’s most influential culinary organizations. Best known for the James Beard Awards, the foundation also promotes a more equitable, sustainable and resilient independent restaurant industry — work that has made its recognition a major marker of achievement in the food world.

The Maria Isabel Mexican Cuisine restaurant, located at 500 Presidio Avenue in San Francisco, brings a distinguished culinary experience rooted in family. “Our restaurant’s name is a love letter to Laura’s mother, Isabel and her sister, Maria, and to the Acapulco nights that still live in her,” they said. with the imported chocolate and heirloom corn, they also work with local farmers and seafood from the coast of San Francisco.”

Further south, in Los Angeles, Anna Sonenshein and Niki Vahle were celebrated for their work at Little Fish Melrose Hill.

Located at 5035 Melrose Avenue, with a new location re-opening soon in Echo Park, they say that “It’s the diners who make the restaurant everything we’ve dreamed of. The comfort of a meal in our home, mixed with your fanciest aunt’s house on a holiday. Familiar, special, ours, and yours.”

The national Taste America series comes to Los Angeles in October of 2026, and San Francisco in February of 2027.