Cleveland chef Vinnie Cimino, Mallorca restaurant named James Beard semifinalists
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CLEVELAND, Ohio — Cleveland’s culinary scene continues to get recognized by the James Beard Awards, with Cordelia chef Vinnie Cimino and Mallorca restaurant downtown landing on the list of 2026 semifinalists.
Cimino is nominated for the third year in a row in the Best Chef: Great Lakes category. This year, he’s the only chef from Cleveland to be nominated in the category, joining three other Ohio chefs from Cincinnati.
Mallorca, which has been a staple in the Warehouse District since the ‘90s, was also nominated in the Outstanding Hospitality category. The restaurant, which specializes in Spanish and Portuguese cuisine, is the only restaurant in Ohio nominated in its category.
The restaurant and chef finalist nominees will be announced on March 31, with the annual awards ceremony on June 15 in Chicago.
Since opening in 2022, Cordelia, 2058 E. 4th St., has been one of the buzziest restaurants in Greater Cleveland. Cimino and his business partner Andrew Watts are planning to open a second concept, ROSY, in Hingetown in the near future.
The James Beard Awards are among the nation’s most prestigious culinary honors, and a nomination is a significant achievement in the U.S. culinary scene.
Last year, Cimino was nominated alongside Allie La Valle and Jeremy Umansky from Larder Delicatessan and Bakery and Doug Katz and Todd Thompson from Amba/Zhug/Kiln. Edwins owner Brandon Chrostowski was also won the prestigious 2025 James Beard Foundation Impact Award.
