The nationwide effort opens a fresh phase for the Awards by welcoming cities from coast to coast to serve as the next site for the country's premier culinary celebration

The James Beard Foundation today opened a nationwide search for the future site of the James Beard Awards, the highest culinary honor in the United States and one of the nation's most respected distinctions. Through a structured Request for Information and Request for Proposal process, the Foundation will choose the U.S. city that will host the annual James Beard Awards from 2029 through 2033. This gives communities across the country a rare chance to welcome America's leading tribute to culinary achievement. The RFI stage begins today, July 15, 2026. Cities chosen to advance to the RFP stage will receive notice in mid-August.

Since the first ceremony in 1991, the James Beard Awards have defined how culinary excellence is acknowledged, honored, and interpreted across America. They recognize outstanding skill in the culinary and food media fields while showing a clear commitment to fostering an environment where everyone can succeed. The Awards have grown with the independent restaurant sector, food media, and food systems, expanding to reflect the wide range of American dining through regions, cuisines, styles, storytelling, and advocacy. They now act as a reliable resource for diners, one of the field's top distinctions, and a strong platform for the Foundation's goal of supporting a thriving independent restaurant industry.

The program includes the Restaurant and Chef Awards, the Media Awards, and the Impact Awards. Hosting the James Beard Awards offers a city and its region a distinctive chance to present its culinary character nationally, boost tourism, reinforce its standing as a top food destination, and host leading figures in food and hospitality. Throughout their history, the Awards have taken place in only two cities: New York City until 2014 and Chicago since 2015, where they will continue through 2028. The Foundation is pleased to extend this opportunity to culinary destinations nationwide for future years. All interested U.S. cities may take part, including Chicago, a valued and long-term partner.

Recognition through the Awards often proves transformative, increasing visibility, supporting businesses, and opening new opportunities for recipients right away and in the years that follow. After the 2025 honors, 96 percent of surveyed semifinalists noted a positive impact on their business and community, while many winners describe a Beard Bump in the months after their recognition.

These advantages also reach the host city: the multi-day event highlights the local culinary scene while generating national media coverage and real economic benefits. As of June 25, 2026, this year's cycle produced more than 7,300 media placements and nearly 140 billion impressions across national, regional, and local outlets. Chicago's partnership with the Foundation and the Awards brought greater visibility, a stronger reputation, and national recognition as a leading culinary destination, establishing it as a lively center for culinary excellence, hospitality, creativity, and cultural experiences.

The weekend gathers thousands of the country's top chefs, restaurateurs, journalists, culinary leaders, and food advocates for industry panels, pop-ups, and citywide events around the official ceremonies. According to Tourism Economics, an Oxford Economics Company, the 2026 James Beard Awards produced 8.3 million dollars in direct spending, covering Foundation operational costs and off-site spending by non-local attendees. This direct spending created a total economic impact of 17.0 million dollars, supporting 175 full-time equivalent jobs in the Greater Chicago Area. The overall regional economic impact of 17.0 million dollars generated about 1.2 million dollars in state and local tax revenues.

"The James Beard Awards weekend stands as the biggest moment of the year in American food, a celebration unlike any other that unites the entire independent restaurant community to honor the creativity, innovation, and leadership shaping our nation's food culture," said Clare Reichenbach, CEO of the James Beard Foundation. "We are deeply grateful to Chicago for an outstanding partnership as we enter our twelfth year next year and for helping the Awards develop into the joyful, multi-day celebration they represent today. Looking ahead, we look forward to hearing from destinations, including Chicago, prepared to support this vital industry and who understand the key role independent restaurants play in building a strong future for America's communities, economy, and culture."

The timeline for the RFI and RFP process is:

RFI Issued: July 15, 2026
RFI Responses Due: August 7, 2026 by 5:00 p.m. ET
RFP Issued: August 17, 2026
RFP Responses Due: September 30, 2026 by 5:00 p.m. ET
RFP Evaluations: October 1, 2026 to December 31, 2026
Decision Announcement: Early 2027

Information and Contact:

Access details about the RFI and RFP process on the Foundation website
Questions about the RFI should be sent to the designated email address

Press Assets:

Photography selects: available upon request
- Note: all photos require credit. Correct Attribution listed in file details: © [Photographer] for James Beard Foundation

ABOUT THE JAMES BEARD FOUNDATION

The James Beard Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit dedicated to guiding chefs and the broader culinary industry toward a new standard of excellence. Its guiding principle, Good Food for Good, shapes its vision of a vibrant, equitable, and sustainable independent restaurant industry that serves as a cornerstone of American culture, community, and economy while advancing a better food system. For 40 years, the Foundation has played a key role in recognizing, amplifying, educating, and training the individuals who shape American food culture. Today, its mission is carried out through the prestigious James Beard Awards, industry and community-focused programming, advocacy and policy initiatives, and culinary events and partnerships nationwide, including at Platform by JBF and the James Beard House in New York City. Learn more at the Foundation website, sign up for emails, and follow the organization on social media.

The James Beard Foundation commissioned Tourism Economics, an Oxford Economics Company, to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the economic and fiscal impacts attributable to the James Beard Awards in Chicago, IL in 2026.

SOURCE The James Beard Foundation