David Standridge named James Beard finalist

David Standridge of The Shipwright’s Daughter in Mystic is a finalist for Outstanding Chef at the 2026 James Beard Awards. (jamesbeard.org) The James Beard Foundation announced the finalists on March 31 and listed five chefs in the national category: Gilberto Cetina, Niki Nakayama, Josh Niernberg, Standridge, and Michael Tusk. Winners will be announced June 15 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. (jamesbeard.org) Standridge is not new to the awards. He won Best Chef: Northeast in June 2024, giving Connecticut a regional James Beard winner before moving onto this year’s national Outstanding Chef field. (jamesbeard.org) (nbcconnecticut.com) The 2026 finalist list gave Connecticut three placements in the restaurant-and-chef awards. David DiStasi of Materia Ristorante in Bantam made Best Chef: Northeast, and Mystic cocktail bar The Port of Call made Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program. (nbcconnecticut.com) Standridge’s restaurant has built its reputation around coastal New England cooking and local seafood. Coverage from Connecticut this month tied his nomination to work with underused fish, sea vegetables, and nearby fishermen. (ctexaminer.com) (prnewswire.com) CT Examiner reported that Standridge was the only 2026 Outstanding Chef finalist with a restaurant east of the Rocky Mountains, a detail that underlined how unusual his Mystic nomination was in a category otherwise dominated by Western cities. (ctexaminer.com) The James Beard Foundation says the awards honor talent and leadership in the independent restaurant industry, and it frames the program around equity, sustainability, and economic viability. Those themes line up with the way Standridge’s restaurant describes its sourcing and labor model. (jamesbeard.org) (shipwrightsdaughter.com) The next marker is June 15 in Chicago. That is when Standridge will learn whether a chef who already brought home a regional Beard can add the foundation’s national Outstanding Chef prize. (jamesbeard.org)