These 24 NorCal restaurants and chefs were just named 2026 James Beard semifinalists

This year’s list of James Beard Foundation Award semifinalists, released Jan. 21, includes 24 Bay Area and Northern California restaurants, chefs and leaders in the food and beverage world. Among those listed are well-loved Bay Area restaurants and bars like San Francisco’s House of Prime Rib, Foreign Cinema and Smuggler’s Cove alongside newer-to-the-scene talents like Chef Steve Joo of Joodooboo in Oakland and Fik Saleh and Reka Saleh of Fikscue Craft BBQ in Alameda.

The impressive representation...