Zubair Mohajir, Rishi Kumar named TasteTwenty

Zubair Mohajir and Rishi Kumar, two Chicago chefs behind Mirra and the newly opened Mariela, were named to the James Beard Foundation’s 2026-27 TasteTwenty list this week. The foundation describes TasteTwenty as its annual class of “ones to watch” in the restaurant industry, selected to represent their cities through the national Taste America event series. The recognition places both chefs in a 20-person national cohort tied to the James Beard Foundation’s touring food program. Patch first reported the Chicago names this week, and the foundation’s own TasteTwenty page lists Mohajir and Kumar among the 2026-27 chefs. ### Who are the two Chicago chefs on the list? (jamesbeard.org) Zubair Mohajir is a Chicago chef whose current projects include Mirra and Mariela, according to Mirra’s website and his chef biography. Mirra says Mohajir was born in Chennai, raised in Doha, and later built his career in Chicago after leaving finance for restaurant kitchens in 2008. Rishi Kumar is Mohajir’s collaborator on Mirra and Mariela. (msn.com) OpenTable’s profiles of the two restaurants say Kumar grew up in Singapore, trained at the Culinary Institute of America’s Singapore campus, and built his career in Chicago’s Mexican restaurant scene before opening Mirra with Mohajir. ### What exactly is TasteTwenty? The James Beard Foundation says TasteTwenty is the annual lineup of chefs chosen as “ones to watch” in the industry. (mirrachicago.com) The chefs are selected as part of Taste America, the foundation’s national event series, and are expected to showcase their work while representing their local independent restaurant communities. (opentable.com) The foundation’s events page says Taste America is presented by American Express and Resy and will feature stops in 20 U.S. markets during the 2026-27 run. The first listed event on the current schedule is in New Orleans on Sept. 16, 2026. ### Why are Mohajir and Kumar being grouped together? Mirra has been the chefs’ main shared project in Chicago. (jamesbeard.org) OpenTable says the restaurant grew out of pop-ups and brings together Indian and Mexican influences, while Eater described Mohajir and Kumar as the team behind the Bucktown restaurant. Mariela is their newer opening. Eater Chicago and Time Out reported that Mariela opened in early May 2026 in the Loop, with Mohajir and Kumar leading the project after Mirra. (jamesbeard.org) ### Have they been in the James Beard orbit before? The James Beard Foundation’s 2026 semifinalist list included Mirra’s Rishi Kumar and Zubair Mohajir in the restaurant and chef awards field earlier this year. (opentable.com) CBS Chicago and Eater also listed the pair among Chicago’s 2026 James Beard semifinalists. Mirra and Mohajir have also been described elsewhere as part of Chicago’s award-focused dining scene, though the new TasteTwenty recognition is separate from the foundation’s main annual awards. (chicago.eater.com) That distinction comes from the foundation’s own Taste America materials, which tie TasteTwenty to its event series rather than the medal-style awards announced each year. (jamesbeard.org) ### What happens next? The James Beard Foundation says the 2026-27 TasteTwenty chefs will appear through the upcoming Taste America series in their home markets and other events tied to the program. The full class is already posted on the foundation’s site, and the first currently listed 2026-27 event is scheduled for Sept. 16 in New Orleans. (jamesbeard.org)