Zubair Mohajir, Rishi Kumar named to TasteTwenty

The James Beard Foundation on June 4 named Chicago chefs Zubair Mohajir and Rishi Kumar to its 2026-27 TasteTwenty, a national list of 20 chefs selected to represent local independent restaurants in the group’s Taste America series. The foundation said the annual cohort highlights “ones to watch” in the industry and will feature chefs from 20 markets around the country. Mohajir and Kumar were listed together for Mirra and Mariela in Chicago. The announcement came as the foundation continues its broader June awards and events calendar in Chicago and nationally. ### Who exactly was named from Chicago? Zubair Mohajir and Rishi Kumar appeared on the James Beard Foundation’s June 4 TasteTwenty roster under Chicago, Illinois. The foundation’s list identified them alongside Mirra and Mariela, placing the pair among chefs chosen to “showcase their talents and represent their city’s independent restaurant community” through the national Taste America series. (jamesbeard.org) Mirra’s own site identifies Mohajir as a chef at the restaurant, and the foundation has separately referred to both Mohajir and Kumar as chef-partners at Mirra in Bucktown. A James Beard Foundation event page from February described Mirra as serving Mexican Indian cuisine and named Mohajir and Kumar, along with beverage director and partner David Mor, as part of the restaurant’s leadership. (jamesbeard.org) ### What is the TasteTwenty, and how is it different from the Beard Awards? The James Beard Foundation says the TasteTwenty is the chef cohort for its annual Taste America program, a touring event series presented by American Express and Resy. The foundation describes the cohort as 20 market representatives who host dinners and walk-around tastings and spotlight culinary creativity across the United States. (mirrachicago.com) The foundation’s TasteTwenty page says the chefs are selected not only for culinary work but also for contributions beyond the kitchen, including support for sustainable agriculture, investment in teams and advocacy for a more resilient food system. That makes the TasteTwenty a program tied to the events series, rather than the foundation’s separate Restaurant and Chef Awards competition. (jamesbeard.org) ### Why were Mohajir and Kumar already on the foundation’s radar? January 21 put both chefs on another James Beard Foundation list when the organization named its 2026 Award semifinalists. The TasteTwenty page identifies Mohajir and Kumar as James Beard Award semifinalists, and the foundation’s semifinalist announcement said the 2026 Restaurant and Chef nominees would follow later in the spring. (jamesbeard.org) March 31 brought the foundation’s 2026 nominees announcement, and June 15 is the scheduled date for the 2026 Restaurant and Chef Awards ceremony at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. The foundation has not framed the TasteTwenty as an awards result, but the June 4 announcement places Mohajir and Kumar in another national Beard-affiliated program during the same awards cycle. (jamesbeard.org) ### What do Mirra and Mariela add to the Chicago piece of this? Mirra lists its address at 1954 W. Armitage Ave. in Chicago and describes its food as a fusion of Indian and Mexican cuisines. The restaurant’s menus pair dishes such as aloo gobi taquitos ahogada, lamb barbacoa biryani and tacos arabe, underscoring the cross-cultural approach that has drawn national Beard attention. (jamesbeard.org) Mariela lists its address at 1 W. Washington St. in Chicago. Its website says the restaurant draws from “the warm coastal kitchens of Southeast Asia” and the shorelines of the Americas and Europe, with a menu shaped by seafood and migration themes. ### What happens next in the Taste America program? The James Beard Foundation says Taste America tickets for September events went on sale to the general public on June 2, after patron access opened June 1. (mirrachicago.com) The events page lists Taste America: New Orleans at The Josephine on Sept. 16 as the first upcoming stop shown for the 2026-27 series. (marielachicago.com) June 15 is the next major Beard date in Chicago, when the foundation plans to hold its 2026 Restaurant and Chef Awards ceremony at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. The TasteTwenty roster and the Taste America schedule are posted on the foundation’s website alongside the broader 2026 awards calendar. (jamesbeard.org 1) (jamesbeard.org 2)