LA wins big at elite food awards — as Santa Monica spot steals best California chef crown

Los Angeles’ restaurant scene had a big night at the 2026 James Beard Awards, with some of the city’s most acclaimed chefs and restaurants being crowned with major awards at the “Oscars” of the food world.

The annual awards ceremony, held Monday night at Chicago’s Lyric Opera House, recognized excellence in the food and restaurant arena across the country.

While New York and San Francisco scored notable wins, Los Angeles emerged with major success, proving that there’s a lot more going on there than just kale salads and avocado toast.

Leading the charge was Dave Beran, who snagged the prestigious title of “Best Chef: California” for his Santa Monica tasting menu hotspot, Seline.

If Beran’s name sounds familiar in the pop culture sphere, it’s because he’s the culinary genius behind who helped train Jeremy Allen White to look like a sweat-soaked kitchen pro on “The Bear.”

Beran beat out a competitive field of finalists that included fellow LA standout, Kwang Uh, of Korean restaurant Baroo.

Meanwhile, the legendary Providence on Melrose Avenue brought home the award for Outstanding Hospitality. The three Michelin-starred seafood institution, which is celebrating its 21st anniversary, was recognized for outstanding service and overall guest experience.

“Hospitality is an art of reaching out a hand without asking for anything in return,” co-owner and general manager Donato Poto said at the ceremony.

Downtown LA’s Michelin-starred Kato, known for its modern take on Taiwanese cuisine, continued its winning streak, earning the Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program award for the second consecutive year.

The strong showing comes after Los Angeles racked up an impressive list of finalists earlier this year
across categories including Best New Restaurant, Outstanding Chef, Emerging Chef, Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service and more.

Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters