Nancy Silverton lauded at 2026 James Beard Awards

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Nancy Silverton lauded at 2026 James Beard Awards

17 Jun 2026

Annie Hollon

Annie Hollon is a journalist, copywriter and social media strategist from the Dallas, Texas area. She found a love for magazine writing during her time at the University of Alabama where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts, double majoring in public relations and English. Beyond writing, you can find her expanding her library, attempting to teach herself the guitar and trying new hobbies.

KANSAS CITY, MO — Each year, the honors an American in the food and beverage space whose body of work has made a positive, long-term impact in the industry via the Lifetime Achievement Award. At the 2026 edition of the organization’s Restaurant and Chef Awards, held June 15 in Chicago, that distinction was presented to Nancy Silverton, founder of La Brea Bakery and longtime member of the baking industry.

“I’ve been lucky enough to receive a few [James Beard Awards], but each time it has been such an honor, because the competition is so strong to get this particular award, I really was never expecting it,” Silverton told Commercial Baking. “It took me a while to accept the fact that all of the work and all of my passion have really paid off.”

Over the past four decades, Silverton has shaped the industry through her work as a baker, chef, restaurateur and author. Her achievements in the food world are bountiful, including receiving the first-ever James Beard Award for Pastry Chef of the Year in 1991, writing multiple cookbooks sharing her insights on the baking world, and founding La Brea Bakery, which helped push the modern artisan bread movement forward. Today, the brand is under the Aspire Bakeries umbrella and a mainstay in the commercial baking industry.

“It’s an industry that I love, it’s an industry I respect, and it’s an industry that I’m going to stay in for many years to come.” — Nancy Silverton | 2026 James Beard Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award recipient

The baking space has shifted a lot over the years, but Silverton noted that demand for great bread remains. Though it can be challenging for some facilities like hotels and foodservice to fit baking into their operations, commercial bakeries and companies such as La Brea Bakery can satiate demand.

“Especially if you’re able to maintain the same process as we used to when we were a small cottage industry, it’s an opportunity for bakeries in general to expand and have their own growth where they’re able to reach more places,” she said.

Even after years of contributions to baking and beyond, Silverton isn’t hanging up her apron yet, carrying on her work and passion for food through Mozza Restaurant Group and connecting with the baking industry at events such as IDDBA.

“It’s an industry that I love, it’s an industry I respect, and it’s an industry that I’m going to stay in for many years to come,” she said.

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