Two hometown Beard nods
E.J. Lagasse, son of Emeril Lagasse, was named a 2026 James Beard finalist for Best Emerging Chef in Fall River (heraldnews.com). In Montana, Earl Reynolds of Whitefish was named a Best Chef finalist for the second time, marking repeat regional recognition (kpax.com).
Two chefs with hometown ties in Fall River, Massachusetts, and Whitefish, Montana, are headed to the 2026 James Beard Awards as finalists. (jamesbeard.org) The James Beard Foundation announced its 2026 restaurant and chef nominees on March 31, and the winners are scheduled to be named June 15 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. (jamesbeard.org) E.J. Lagasse was nominated for Emerging Chef, a national category for a chef judged likely to make a significant impact in years to come. The foundation lists him at Emeril’s in New Orleans, Louisiana. (jamesbeard.org; jamesbeard.org) Lagasse’s nomination landed hard in Fall River because his father, Emeril Lagasse, was born there, and local coverage tied the younger chef’s rise to the family’s Portuguese-American roots in the city. (heraldnews.com) At Emeril’s, E.J. Lagasse returned to New Orleans in 2022 as chef and co-owner, and the restaurant says he leads day-to-day operations. Michelin said in November 2025 that he became the youngest chef to lead a two-star Michelin kitchen at the restaurant. (emeril.org; guide.michelin.com) In Montana, Earl Reynolds was named a finalist for Best Chef in the Mountain region, which covers Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Utah, and Wyoming. KPAX reported it is the second time Reynolds has reached the James Beard finals. (jamesbeard.org; kpax.com) Reynolds is executive chef at Herb & Omni in downtown Whitefish, and the restaurant says his cooking draws on Flathead ranches, farms, and Montana’s seasonal ingredients. KPAX said his first finalist run came in 2023, when he was executive chef at Stone Hill Kitchen and Bar in Bigfork. (kpax.com; herbandomni.com) The James Beard Awards have been running since 1990, and the foundation describes them as honors for excellence in food, beverage, and hospitality. For Fall River and Whitefish, this year’s finalists put two smaller hometowns into a national awards field that usually centers on major restaurant cities. (archive.jamesbeard.org; jamesbeard.org) The next date is June 15 in Chicago. Until then, both hometown stories sit in the same place: local chefs, local pride, and one of the restaurant industry’s biggest stages. (jamesbeard.org)
