The 2026 Awards Season

Where you find great chefs and great restaurants, you will find Browne Trading Company. This awards season, we were pleased to count many Browne Trading accounts among the winners of prestigious categories. 

Awarded by the “World’s 50 Best” 

The World's 50 Best Restaurants is one of the culinary industry's most respected ranking organizations. Each year, its lists are determined by the votes of more than 1,100 independent restaurant experts, including chefs, restaurateurs, food journalists, and seasoned gastronomes, from 28 regions around the world. Their collective expertise identifies the restaurants shaping global dining today. 

In 2026, the World's 50 Best organization recognized the following Browne Trading Company customers among North America's 50 Best Restaurants:

Awarded by the James Beard Foundation: 

The James Beard Awards are among the most prestigious honors in the American food and beverage industry. Presented annually by the James Beard Foundation, they recognize exceptional achievement in culinary arts, hospitality, beverage programs, media, and food systems. Often referred to as the "Oscars of the food world," the awards celebrate the chefs, restaurateurs, and hospitality professionals shaping the future of American dining. 

In 2026, the James Beard Foundation honored the following Browne Trading Company customers:  

Best Chef Northeast 

Evan Hennessey – Stages, Dover NH 

Best Emerging Chef 

Adrian Torres - Máximo, Houston, TX 

Outstanding Hospitality 

Providence, Los Angeles, CA 

Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program 

Kato, Los Angeles, CA 

Outstanding Restaurateur 

Dana Street - Fore Street, Street & Co., Standard Baking Co., Scales, Upstream, Portland, ME


James Beard Nominees
Beyond these five award winners, many of the restaurants we proudly supply were recognized as James Beard Award nominees. We send special congratulations to these Best Chef: Northeast nominees, many of whom are right here in our "backyard.”

Nominees - Best Chef Northeast

Jeremy Broucek - Bread & Friends, Portland, ME  

Thomas Takashi Cooke -  Izakaya Minato, Portland, ME  

Chris Gould - Central Provisions, Portland, ME  

Sara Jenkins - Nina June, Rockport, ME  

Jake Stevens - Leeward, Portland, ME 
 

Congratulations to all winners and nominees!