David Standridge up for Outstanding Chef

David Standridge, the chef at The Shipwright’s Daughter in Mystic, is a 2026 James Beard Awards finalist for Outstanding Chef. (jamesbeard.org) The James Beard Foundation announced the 2026 restaurant and chef nominees on March 31, and Standridge was one of five chefs named in the national Outstanding Chef category. Winners are set to be announced June 15 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. (jamesbeard.org 1) (jamesbeard.org 2) That nomination puts Standridge above the regional tier he cleared in 2024, when he won Best Chef: Northeast for Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. (jamesbeard.org) Connecticut has three 2026 James Beard finalists overall: Standridge in Outstanding Chef, David DiStasi of Materia Ristorante in Best Chef: Northeast, and Mystic bar The Port of Call in Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program. (wtnh.com) Standridge’s national profile is tied closely to the way he cooks in Mystic: local fish, sea vegetables, invasive species, and other underused catch from New England waters. His restaurant has described that work as central to its sourcing and menu. (prnewswire.com) (shipwrightsdaughter.com) Chef Ned Baldwin told CT Examiner that Standridge was “the only finalist this year with a restaurant east of the Rockies” in the Outstanding Chef field, and said his cooking is unusually specific to local waters. (ctexaminer.com) That specificity shows up in species many diners rarely see on marquee menus. CT Examiner reported that Standridge has cooked scup, worked with local seaweed, and helped set up a side business trapping invasive green crab and fishing from Noank. (ctexaminer.com) The James Beard Foundation has also tied the awards to leadership, sustainability, and workplace standards, not just plate-by-plate cooking. The Shipwright’s Daughter says it offers subsidized benefits, training, and retirement matching for staff. (jamesbeard.org) (shipwrightsdaughter.com) For Mystic, the nomination extends a two-year run in which one restaurant and its chef moved from regional recognition to a national top category. The next marker is June 15, when the Beard Foundation names its 2026 winners in Chicago. (jamesbeard.org 1) (jamesbeard.org 2)