Monday, June 22, 2026
Chef Nancy Silverton, co-owner of Georgetown’s Osteria Mozza, which opened less than two years ago, received the James Beard Foundation’s 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award in Chicago last week.
In her acceptance speech, Silverton said she was not “going anywhere … because I have nowhere to go. And mark my words, I will be back here or there to receive my Lifetime Achievement 2.0.”
For her part, she further remarked: “Last night, the James Beard Foundation awarded me with their lifetime achievement award. It was an honor and a joy to be surrounded by so many people I admire. The food and beverage business is tough, and so are we. I love this business and all the people in it. Thank you all for celebrating with me and for an unforgettable evening.”
Of the beloved Silverton, the James Beard Foundation wrote: “In her more than four decades as a chef, baker, restaurateur and author, Nancy Silverton has had a profound influence on how we eat, cook and think about food in the United States. In 1989, Silverton founded La Brea Bakery in Los Angeles, helping spark the modern artisanal bread movement and winning the first-ever James Beard Award for Pastry Chef of the Year in 1991. She co-founded iconic restaurants, including Campanile, and later established the globally recognized Osteria Mozza. In 2014, she won the James Beard Award for Outstanding Chef, honoring her rigorous technique, warm hospitality, creativity and leadership. Silverton has mentored countless chefs, bakers and restaurateurs who have since defined their own culinary identities and meaningfully contributed to the independent restaurant ecosystem. Through her widely acclaimed cookbooks, media appearances and educational initiatives, Silverton has shaped public understanding of food, craft and tradition, reinforcing the cultural and emotional significance of food in American life.”
Southern Californian Silverton — who is the same age as The Georgetowner — won the James Beard Foundation’s Outstanding Chef Award in 2014. This former political science student found her life’s calling when she worked as a cook on campus. Going on to study cooking and baking in England and France, she was hired by Wolfgang Puck as Spago’s opening pastry chef.
In 1998, at L.A.’s Campanile, Silverton got tagged “godmother of grilled cheese sandwiches.” Recognized for her role in popularizing sourdough and artisan breads, she calls her peanut butter cookie “The Cookie That Changed My Life.” Her Mozza brand ranges from L.A. and London to Singapore and, now, Washington, D.C.