"On the Road" at the 2026 James Beard Restaurant & Chef Awards, Chicago

Today on our episode #444 of All in the Industry, Shari Bayer has a special “On the Road” show from the 2026 James Beard Restaurant & Chef Awards, which took place on Monday, June 15, 2026 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago in Chicago, IL. This was Shari's 6th year covering the awards on the red carpet and media room, and she has exclusive interviews with presenters, finalists and winners, along with video coverage on our "All in the Industry" YouTube Channel.Congratulations to everyone recognized, and the James Beard Foundation for another amazing production. As always, Shari loved being a part of the celebration!  Shari's interviews include Sarah Thompson, Casa Playa, Wynn Las Vegas - Winner, Best Chef: Southwest; Chris Shepherd, Southern Smoke Foundation - Honoree: Impact Award; Andrew Zimmern - Presenter, Chef, & Media Personality; Jamila Robinson, Bon Appetit - Editor in Chief & Presenter; Michael Cimarusti, Providence - Winner: Outstanding Hospitality; Clare Reichenbach, James Beard Foundation - Chief Executive Officer; Dave Beran, Seline - Winner: Best Chef California; Serigne Mbaye, Dakar NOLA - Best Chef: South; Nancy Silverton, Mozza Restaurant Group - Honoree: Lifetime Achievement Award; Annie Shi, Lei - Winner: Best New Restaurant; and Nok Suntaranon, Kalaya - Winner: Outstanding Restaurant; and many more!For more information about the Awards and a full list of the finalists and winners, go to jamesbeard.org/awards and follow on social @beardfoundation #JBFA. And be sure to check out our "All in the Industry" YouTube Channel for our Awards video content.Today's show also features Shari's PR tip to have fun with everything; and Solo Dining experience at Smyth, Chef John Shields and Karen Urie Shields' 3 Michelin star restaurant in Chicago, which showcases an ever-changing expression of pristine products so that every exceptional experience feels like a first. Smyth is currently No. 1 on North America's 50 Best Restaurants 2026, which Shari covered on our episode #440. (1:01:46)Thanks to Bilt for supporting this episode. Learn more at biltdining.com/shariFind all of our new & archived shows at AllintheIndustry.com.  Listen at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts; subscribe & leave us a rating/review. Follow us @allindustry & @sharibayer on Instagram, & "All in the Industry" on Facebook & our YouTube Channel.Interested in collaborating with us?  Please reach out via our contact page at AllintheIndustry.com, or on social.  We'd love to hear from you!Check out Shari's book, Chefwise: Life Lessons from Leading Chefs Around the World (Phaidon), available wherever books are sold. #chefwisebookThanks, as always, for being a part of All in the Industry®!