Chancho King chef nominated

María Delia La Mota, the Ecuadorian chef behind Jacksonville’s Chancho King, is a 2026 James Beard Award finalist for Best Chef: South. (jamesbeard.org) The James Beard Foundation named the 2026 restaurant and chef nominees on March 31, and winners are scheduled to be announced June 15 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. (jamesbeard.org) La Mota appears on the finalist list with Chason Spencer for Chancho King in Jacksonville, Florida, in a regional category that covers the South. (jamesbeard.org) Chancho King serves Ecuadorian dishes including arroz con menestra, chancho sandwiches, llapingachos and shrimp encocado, according to reporting by El Universo. The restaurant is based in Jacksonville in northeast Florida. (eluniverso.com) The nomination puts an Ecuadorian-born chef and an Ecuadorian menu into one of the most watched award programs in United States dining. The James Beard Foundation says its awards recognize talent in culinary arts, hospitality and the broader food system. (jamesbeard.org) The foundation says the Restaurant and Chef Awards honor excellence in food, beverage and hospitality, and the awards have been presented since 1991. (jamesbeard.org; archive.jamesbeard.org) Jacksonville’s local newspaper reported on April 1 that the Chancho King chefs are a husband-and-wife team behind a Murray Hill restaurant that has built a following in the city. (jacksonville.com) For now, the nomination is the milestone. The next date on the calendar is June 15, when the James Beard Foundation will reveal whether La Mota and Spencer turn the finalist spot into a win. (jamesbeard.org)