Beard nod for Chancho King
Ecuadorian chef María Delia La Mota, who runs Chancho King, was named a 2026 James Beard Awards finalist in the Best Chef: South category. The nomination places her among the U.S. regional finalists rather than in an emerging or niche award lane. (eluniverso.com)
María Delia La Mota and Chason Spencer of Chancho King in Jacksonville are finalists for the 2026 James Beard Award for Best Chef: South. (jamesbeard.org) The James Beard Foundation announced the restaurant and chef nominees on March 31, 2026, and set the winners ceremony for June 15 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. (jamesbeard.org) Best Chef: South covers Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and Puerto Rico, placing Chancho King in the foundation’s main regional chef competition. (eluniverso.com) That matters because the James Beard Awards reserve those regional chef slots for restaurant leaders working in the United States, not for one-off trend categories or newcomer side lanes. The foundation says the awards have recognized restaurant and chef talent since 1990. (jamesbeard.org) Chancho King serves Ecuadorian dishes including arroz con menestra, sanduche de chancho, llapingacho and encocado de camarón from its Jacksonville restaurant. El Universo reported that Ecuador’s tourism vice ministry highlighted the nomination as a milestone for Ecuadorian migration and cuisine. (eluniverso.com) The restaurant traces its roots to a pop-up and food truck before opening a brick-and-mortar in Murray Hill in August 2023 at 1120 Edgewood Ave. S. in Jacksonville. (usatoday.com) Chancho King’s own site now describes the place as an “Ecuadorian inspired diner” and lists regular service Wednesday through Saturday, a Friday late-night menu and a Sunday ceviche bar. (chanchoking.square.site) The finalists list turned a neighborhood Jacksonville restaurant into one of the South’s five remaining contenders ahead of the June awards night. (jacksonville.com)
