4 Houston area chefs named 2025 James Beard Finalists

HOUSTON, Texas – On Wednesday, the James Beard Foundation released its highly anticipated 2025 restaurant and chef nominees.

Four Houston area restaurants and chefs are included as finalists:

• Best New Restaurant: Ema
• Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program: March
• Best Chef Texas: Thomas Bille of Belly of the Beast
• Best Chef Texas: Emmanuel Chavez of Tatemó 

Ema HTX, which is composed of two chefs and a coffee roaster, brings quality food, pastries,, and coffee to Houston Heights. Owners Stephanie Velasquez, Nicolas Vera and Marlén Mendoza. The cafe is known for its pan dulce, tacos, and coffee.

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March, nominated for its outstanding wine and beverages, is a Mediterranean restaurant that offers a six—and nine-course sample menu paired with wines.

Thomas Bille, one of the creative geniuses behind Belly of the Beast restaurant in Spring, said the restaurant is his version of Mexican food. The Chef, who began cooking at 27 years old and put himself through culinary school, worked his way up by working at small local restaurants. When he relocated to Houston from Los Angeles in 2018, he worked at Hugo Ortega until he opened his restaurant.

Emmanuel Chanez, the chef and co-owner of Tatemo, a Mexican-inspired restaurant. The culinary business comes as no surprise for Chanez, who grew up in Mexico City but was raised in Houston working at his family’s Tex-Mex restaurant.

The James Beard Foundation, which recognizes excellence in the culinary arts, food, beverage, and hospitality industries, is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year.

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In honor of 35 years, the foundation has introduced three new categories to go along with its previous categories, which include Outstanding Restaurateur, Outstanding Chef, Outstanding Restaurant, Emerging Chef, Best New Restaurant, Outstanding Bakery, Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker, Outstanding Hospitality, Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program, Oustanding Bar and Best Chefs. The new categories are under beverages and include Best New Bar, Outstanding Professional Beverage Service and Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service.

The winners will be revealed at the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards ceremony on Monday, June 16 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.