Carla Gomez
Adrian Torres
Two Mexican-inspired restaurants and a bar that pays homage to Latin culture were honored during the 2026 James Beard Foundation Restaurant and Chef Awards ceremony on June 15 at The Lyric Opera House in Chicago.
el Restaurante congratulates these winners, who represent the best of Mexican/Latin food and beverage:
Adrian Torres, Maximo, West University Place, Texas, Emerging Chef Award presented by S.Pellegrino® Sparkling Natural Mineral Water.
Torres was recognized with the prestigious award for his contemporary approach to traditional Mexican flavors. His menu highlights dishes including the Taquito de Huitlacoche, Masa Cornbread with chicatana butter and caviar, Hanger Steak & Truffle Mole Negro, and Chocolate Cremoso with cajeta, blue corn, and bizcocho.
When accepting the award, Torres spoke shared his immigrant story.
“I am proud to be the son of immigrants. I am proud to be an immigrant. And I am proud to be a DACA recipient,” Torres said.
Executive Chef Sarah Thompson, Casa Playa, Las Vegas, Nevada, Best Chef: Southwest (AZ, NM, NV, OK).
Sarah Thompson
Casa Playa is a coastal Mexican restaurant focusing on fresh seafood, seasonal ingredients, and a house-made masa program. The menu is designed to be family-style, with many interactive, large-format dishes that build on one another, including pork belly al pastor and whole snapper tempura, accompanied by house-made tortillas.
“It is a huge honor to receive this award … and a testament to the hard work, passion, and hospitality of my entire team,” Thompson said in a statement in Las Vegas Weekly. “Every day, we work together to make Casa Playa a place that celebrates the vibrant flavors, fresh ingredients, and soulful traditions of Mexico — many of the reasons why I fell in love with Mexican cuisine.”
LOMA, Providence, Rhode Island, Best New Bar
This award-winning bar that debuted in 2025 pays homage to Latin American culture. Inventive cocktails plus a playlist of Latin Jazz,
The team at LOMA
Boleros, and vintage salsa welcome customers in a space that evokes the feeling of a private home bar in Latin America in the 60s-70s.
In a thank you note posted on Instagram, founders and co-owners Leishla Maldonado, Osman Cortave, and Yefri Cortave the role their team and their immigrant roots played in their success.
“We come from immigrant and working class families and were raised by people who taught us the value of hard work but also understood how dangerous it can feel to take a chance on yourself when failure isn’t just disappointing. it’s something we can’t afford. Opening LOMA felt like betting everything we had on an idea and ourselves. We knew a 16 seat bar wouldn’t make us rich but we do this because we believe in our traditions, we believe in the stories, and that the hospitality of our cultures deserve to be celebrated with pride. This award belongs to our families, whose sacrifices made these opportunities possible. It belongs to our team of five, who chose to believe in this dream even when it felt impossible. And it belongs to everyone who has ever wondered whether they were qualified enough, connected enough, or secure enough to pursue what they love. (sometimes) Courage is being terrified and doing it anyway. Thank you to our guests, our community in Providence, and everyone who has supported us along the way. And to every immigrant and working class kid watching tonight — there is room for our story at this table.”
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