Everyone pulling their weight in Austin’s food scene is important to its vitality. Some chefs disappear into their projects, giving every ounce of their energy to making spectacular food. Others become the face of the restaurant, drawing in crowds with the force of their personality.

Photo courtesy of Laila Bazahm

Laila Bazahm, Siti

Either way, Austin’s top chefs give the restaurant scene its all-important human element that staff, guests, and yes, even journalists can run with. The judges for the 2026 CultureMap Tastemaker Awards, who include past winners and editorial staff, took that into account when choosing this year’s batch of Chef of the Year nominees.

Find out which acclaimed nominee will win this Thursday, April 9 at the 2026 Tastemaker Awards party at Distribution Hall. We’ll dine on bites from this year’s nominated restaurants and sip cocktails from our sponsors before revealing the winners in our short and sweet ceremony. We're just days away from the big event, so be sure to buy your tickets now, while they're available.

You can meet all of the 2026 Tastemaker Award nominees in our special editorial series. And don't forget to vote in the Best New Restaurant tournament. We’re down to the final matchup: Moderna Bar & Pizza versus VanHorn’s.

Now, step into the kitchen with our 10 nominees for Chef of the Year 2026:

Ben Savage, Kalimotxo
Ben Savage is the only chef de cuisine on this list, but he’s essential for keeping Kalimotxo soulful. Since the Spanish restaurant and cocktail bar’s move in 2024, it’s gained a sense of permanence and gravitas — miraculously, without losing the light touch of the neatly executed tapas-based menu.

Casey Wall, Le Calamar
The French-Texan restaurant Le Calamar, successor to Korean wine bar Underdog, immediately made a strong mark when it opened in 2025. Chef Casey Wall moved to Austin to make it happen, and he did so in style, starting with all Texas-sourced ingredients and seafood from the Gulf of Mexico. Not only did Wall live up to expectations; he raised the bar.

Daniela Landaverde and Rosa Landaverde, La Santa Barbacha
Sisters Daniela and Rosa Landaverde have every right to brag about their Mexican culinary education — resulting in some of the city’s prettiest and most delicious tacos — but after five years and high praise from the Michelin Guide and James Beard Foundation, they’re as approachable as ever. Catch them anytime with smiles and a habit for shifting credit to their team and community.

Joseph Gomez, Sana Sana Taqueria
After the closure of Con Todo, starting a new pop-up, and taking a “journey” learning to nixtamalize corn, Chef Joseph Gomez has found a home for his South Texas-inspired tacos in downtown Austin. His use of artisanal Mexican ingredients adds a wealth of authentic flavor to every dish, and he pairs them with a passion for uplifting immigrant voices in the industry.

Joseph Zoccoli, Casa Bianca
Casa Bianca’s handmade pastas and fresh seafood are the result of two seemingly mismatched things in Joseph Zoccoli’s life: Italian heritage and a decade of experience in Japanese cuisine. Experimental dishes like the crab and n'djua arancini and the hazelnut ragu cavatelli with lamb fit the restaurant’s “maximalist” M.O. while also serving elegance without pretension.

Kareem El-Ghayesh, KG BBQ
Most chefs will say food is about connecting with people. Pitmaster Kareem El-Ghayesh lives it. Not only does he use his Egyptian culture to serve some of the most unique barbecue in Texas, but he fires up his personal charm on TV shows, food tours, and more. It’s fun to watch a local chef make a name nationally, but, so far, Austinites get the barbecue all to themselves.

Laila Bazahm, Siti
Laila Bazahm earned her stripes as a restaurant owner with Spanish restaurant El Raval in 2023, and her new concept Siti has become a big success for Austin’s Southeast Asian culinary scene. Most of Siti’s menu offerings are meant to be shared family-style so guests can feel more connected during meals.

Michael Carranza, Tare
Tare chef and owner Michael Carranza is another South Texas native with a culinary background set in Austin sushi restaurants across town as well as his own private omakase business. At his first brick-and-mortar restaurant in North Austin, he emphasizes the chef-guest connection through a kappo-style omakase service.

Philip Speer, Comedor
Chef Philip Speer grounded himself in Austin’s food scene with his Mexican restaurant, Comedor, and recently took on Sicilian fare with his new speakeasy endeavor, Garage Pizza. Speer also champions healthy habits within the local community with the Comedor run club and Ben’s Friends, a sobriety coalition for hospitality professionals.

Tatsu Aikawa, Kemuri Tatsu-Ya
Tatsu Aikawa has range, from the acclaimed and adventurous Kemuri Tatsu-Ya to the casual Ramen Tatsu-Ya and more in between. The Tatsu-Ya landscape is always shifting, but it looks like the chef’s capacity for making whimsy cool will always stay the same. With a so-far unrevealed new concept on the way, he has yet another shot at reinvention.

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