The James Beard Awards are considered the Oscars of the food and drink scene in the United States for a reason!
Every year, the James Beard Foundation works its way through a lengthy list of potential winners, starting with a preliminary list of nominees in January, a shortlist in April, and finally, a winner for each category is announced in mid-June.
Just to be nominated for a James Beard Award, let alone winning one, is considered a big enough deal to legitimately alter the career trajectory of a chef or even pull a small town restaurant into the national spotlight!
This year will be the 36th annual James Beard Awards, and Detroit will be represented by a single nominee who made the elusive Awards’ shortlist!
The small business representing Detroit’s food and drink scene on a national stage
This year, the sole representative of the Detroit food and drink scene to make the 2026 James Beard Awards shortlist was the small wine bar Chenin, which is one of just five finalists for the ‘Best New Bar’ category.
Detroit’s Chenin will compete against four other new bars across the country for the highly sought-after award.
What makes Chenin one of the nation’s best new bars?
Opening back in March of 2025, Chenin was quick to make headlines as an ultra-intimate modern wine bar that doesn’t take reservations despite only having 10 seats.
The wine bar apparently drew inspiration from French wine bars and dessert shops, blending the two to create a unique experience where patrons can enjoy a curated selection of natural & biodynamic wines and fresh gelato made in-house.
The combination of the wine bar’s uniquely fun atmosphere, fantastic wine selection, and unique offerings, like housemade desserts, gives it a strong chance to win a James Beard Award this year.