3 Iowa Chefs, a Bakery, and a Bar Are All Up for Major Awards in 2026

The James Beard Foundation has announced the 2026 semifinalists for their annual James Beard Awards, and we're happy to report that Iowa is well-represented! Not only are three Iowa chefs up for awards this year, but a new bar and a Corridor bakery are, too! Let's take a look at the nominees from the Hawkeye State:

Outstanding Bakery

The first category with an Iowa nominee is Outstanding Bakery, which includes bakeries from all over the U.S., not just the Midwest region. Out of the 20 semifinalists, DeLuxe Cakes and Pastries in Iowa City is the lone Iowa nominee, and only one of three from the Midwest!

DeLuxe Cakes and Pastries was opened by Jamie Powers back in 2003, and she serves as the bakery's owner and executive pastry chef. According to the website, she's "professionally trained in the art of traditional French pastry creation." She's joined by Heather Frost Hughes, who holds the title of Head Pastry Chef and General Manager.

According to a recent Facebook post, DeLuxe had a HUGE 2025, with a total of "65,228 breakfast pastries, 41,335 coffee drinks, 81,453 cookies, 14,009 petit-fours, 7,565 quiche, 6,302 cakes, and 234 wedding cakes." The menu also includes baguettes, sandwiches, tarts, pies, and more.

You can check out DeLuxe Cakes and Pastries Tuesday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. You can also place an online order HERE.

Aside from DeLuxe, the only other semifinalists from the Midwest include:

• Cultured - Sister Bay, Wisconsin
• Dan The Baker - Columbus, Ohio

Best New Bar

The next category with an Iowa nominee is for Best New Bar, and it's a Des Moines cocktail bar called The Contrary. It's owned by Billy Weathers, who DSM Magazine describes as "a hip-hop artist, community organizer, founder and CEO of the B.Well Foundation, and one of the Business Record’s Forty Under 40 honorees from 2022."

The Contrary is located at 503 E Locust and first opened its doors back in late November of 2024. Since its opening, it's received a lot of positive reviews for its creative cocktails and unique menu, warm hospitality, great music, attention to detail, and "immaculate vibes." It currently has a 4.9-star rating on Google, with the lowest of the 66 reviews being 4 out of 5 stars. That's pretty impressive!

The Contrary is open Sundays, Wednesdays & Thursdays from 4 p.m. to midnight, and Fridays & Saturdays from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. You can check out the bar's official Instagram HERE.

The two other Midwest bars that are semifinalists in the Best New Bar category in 2026 are:

• Bar Chenin - Detroit, Michigan
• Public Parking - Madison, Wisconsin

Best Chef: Midwest

There is an Outstanding Chef category that includes nominees from all over the U.S., but otherwise, the James Beard Best Chef awards are broken down by region. There are 8 states included in the Best Chef Midwest category, and in 2026, three Iowa chefs are nominated from two Iowa restaurants!

Let's start with chefs Nick Hanke and Phil Shires, who are one of only five of the 20 semifinalists that are nominated as a team. Nick and Phil both work at Masao in Des Moines, a restaurant that specializes in sushi and "elevated French-style cuisine."  According to an article from the Des Moines Register, Masao isn't even a year old yet! It opened at 512 E Grand Ave in May of 2025.

The Register reports that chefs Nick and Phil each have their own focus at Masao. Nick Hanke came from Waterfront Seafood, so he's in charge of sushi, and Phil Shires was brought on for the French portion of the menu. Phil has actually been a semifinalist in the Best Chef Midwest category before, representing Café di Scala back in 2014.

Masao is open for dinner Tuesday through Thursday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday & Saturday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Check out the restaurant's menu HERE.

The second and final nominee from Iowa is chef Ian Robertson from Oak Park in Des Moines, a highly-rated restaurant that opened in the fall of 2023.

According to Oak Park's website, Ian has studied and honed his culinary skills all over the world! He was born in Malaysia, and has also lived in Scotland, Benin, and France. He started his formal training at Gregoire Ferrandi Paris in 2005, and he has since worked at prestigious restaurants in England, Chicago, and New York. Now, he serves as Executive Chef at Oak Park alongside his wife Jess Robertson, who is the restaurant's Executive Pastry Chef!

When it comes to their menu, Oak Park has a strong focus on partnering with local farmers and sourcing local products. They even have their own garden where they grow seasonal crops to use in their dishes! The restaurant also has "Iowa's best wine program," craft cocktails, a special Chef's Table experience, and a trained team of "Culinary Attendants" to ensure guests have a world-class experience.

Oak Park is open Tuesday through Saturday from 4:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. You can make a reservation online HERE.

When Will We Find Out the Winners?

According to the article from the James Beard website, "Restaurant and Chef nominees will be announced on Tuesday, March 31, and winners will be celebrated at the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards Ceremony on Monday, June 15, 2026." You can check out all of this year's semifinalists HERE.

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