July 16, 2026

Today’s edition of Eater Today asks our staff to imagine the year's biggest food ceremony, like the World Cup or Super Bowl: If the James Beard Awards could take place anywhere besides Chicago, where should it go? We lay out the pros and cons of potential alternative cities

Matthew Kang

Where should the James Beard Awards move to?

The James Beard Awards might be on the move, as the organization put out a RFP (request for proposal) for new locations for its awards show, which has taken place at Chicago’s Lyric Opera since 2014. The new deal would lock the annual ceremony in another city from 2029 to 2033, which certainly opens the possibility of the “Oscars of the food world” in an entirely different setting (though it could still remain in Chicago). You see this sort of dealmaking for other awards, like the 50 Best, which traverses major cities and gains coveted destination marketing funds to land at new venues. Culturally, the Beards have only historically been held in New York (from its first year in 1991 until 2014) and then in Chicago for the past 11 years.

I attended the awards in Chicago in 2015 and 2016, but haven’t been able to attend since; my memory of those ceremonies remains indelible. I remember seeing Ludo Lefebvre sulk his loss at Au Cheval, inspiring a now-famous version of their burger at Petit Trois. Aaron Franklin sliced hot-smoked brisket at the after-party, staining my new tuxedo. And I was in the media room when word spread of Josh Ozersky’s passing the night prior. The Beards are the sun around which the American food world revolves, at least for one evening a year.

The Beards are doing the smart thing in making a competition of it and taking the best deal. The American dining scene has evolved in the past decade-plus, though few can deny that Chicago did a bang-up job hosting the show. But I do think change is good, and I almost think the “Oscars” mindset should shift toward one more like the Super Bowl (which moves annually).

So, what would be my pick for the future location? After experiencing two terrific 50 Best Restaurant ceremonies in Las Vegas, I propose Sin City as the next venue for the James Beard Awards, at least for that four-year stretch. Imagine the spectacle of 2,000-plus industry folks at the Wynn Theater or the Cosmopolitan. Consider the potential with collaborations, cocktail parties, and wine dinners you could get in Las Vegas’s event-ready venues, plus its ample hotel rooms, making accommodations widely available. Everything’s within a short walk or ride (and it’s not too expensive to fly there from most of the country). Vegas knows how to throw a culinary party. Then maybe after, it heads back east to an upstart scene like Nashville or Miami.

I asked a bunch of my colleagues where they think the Beards should go in three years’ time, and here’s what they came up with. — Matthew Kang, correspondent

Photo credit: Eater Staff

Dining Team editorial manager Brenna Houck thinks the Beards should “come home” to Oregon:

I'm reticent to put my vote behind anywhere but Chicago. I love that the Beards are hosted in the center of the country in one of the nation's best hospitality cities, but from a pure branding perspective, what better place to host the James Beard Awards than Portland, Oregon? In 2027, Portland, the birthplace of James Beard himself, will also become the home of the James Beard Public Market — a project that the city is hoping will infuse new life into a section of downtown. Add to that the fact that Portland is a fabulous food city, but it's also an affordable destination for travelers, and I think it would be a great fit for the ceremony.

Dining Team editorial director Missy Frederick puts Philadelphia’s accessibility and affordability into the ring:

I think Chicago was a great choice for hosting the Beards — it’s centrally located, the Midwest is perennially overlooked as a food destination, and it's at least somewhat affordable (unless, of course, Taylor Swift happened to be in town the same weekend). If the venue changes, I’d be less excited for a move to a big-tier market like New York or LA. Pittsburgh and Twin Cities always come to mind for me as underrated food cities, but Pittsburgh can be a hassle to fly into, and I’m curious if the Midwest will maintain its hold on the awards. Would folks tolerate New Orleans weather in the summer? Debatable. Let’s bring Philly into the conversation. Not as central as Chicago, but certainly affordable and reasonably accessible, with plenty of restaurant excitement and nearly as many iconic dishes to call its own as Chicago.

Deputy editor Hilary Pollack thinks Los Angeles’ vast and diverse dining scene makes it a worthy contender:

While I love the idea of the awards in Vegas or New Orleans, both can be absolutely, miserably scorching in the summer. Los Angeles is home to one of the country's most innovative and influential restaurant scenes, as evidenced by this year's especially LA-heavy slate of James Beard Award finalists. The city has long been a place where ambitious chefs come to build something new, drawing on culinary traditions from around the world while creating distinctly Californian expressions of American dining. This city also embodies the remarkable breadth of modern restaurant culture that the Beards seek to celebrate: a city where family-run strip-mall taco stands, Armenian bakeries, neighborhood Thai restaurants, and ambitious tasting menus all coexist and are taken equally seriously. And while Los Angeles's connection to entertainment would undoubtedly bring a certain amount of glamour and global attention to the ceremony, the city's greatest strength is that it reminds us great restaurants aren't confined to any one style, price point, or region.

Editor-in-Chief Stephanie Wu likes what the Beards might feel like in the South:

I don’t need an excuse to visit Chicago, but I love that the James Beard Awards give me an annual chance to head there in June, at a time when the city has near-perfect weather. If the Beards are considering other locations, I’ll lobby for places with less of a big city feel. The Carolinas have a lot of momentum right now, coming off of hosting Top Chef and being newly added to the Michelin Guide. I think a city like Asheville or Charleston would be extremely fun to gather in and bring even more well-deserved attention to the South.