Wichita makes list of James Beard award semifinalists for second year in a row
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Last year, Wichita cracked the list of semifinalists for the James Beard Awards for the first time when Georges French Bistro at 4618 E. Central was one of 20 restaurants nationwide named in the category of Outstanding Restaurant.
When the 2026 list of semifinalists for the award — largely considered the Academy Awards of the food and beverage industry — were announced on Wednesday, Wichita was on the list again.
Brothers Jordan and Jason Rickard, who together opened FioRito Ristorante at 3134 E. Douglas in 2022, were named as semifinalists in the Best Chef: Midwest category, which includes chefs from Kansas, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin. Chefs from 20 Midwest restaurants made the list.
The winners will be named at a June 15 ceremony in Chicago. Last year, Georges did not make it past the semifinalist round, but the restaurant was the first one in Wichita to ever land on the list.
After learning of their nomination on Wednesday, the Rickard brothers got together for a celebratory lunch.
“We are incredibly honored to be nominated for such a prestigious national award,” the brothers said in a joint statement. “We have had the pleasure of working at James Beard award-winning restaurants, but we have only ever dreamed of being nominated ourselves.”
The Rickard brothers grew up in Wichita and graduated from East High School’s International Baccalaureate program. They then launched culinary careers in big-city restaurants.
Jordan, now 36, went to culinary school, graduating from Johnson and Wales University in Denver. He cooked his way across Denver at restaurants like Beast & Bottle, Frasca Food and Wine, and Linger before returning home.
Not only did he help Jeremy Wade open his Napoli Italian Eatery and serve there as executive chef, but he also worked at Wichita’s now-closed Greystone Restaurant.
Jason, now 37, attended Northwestern University and earned a degree in political science. He was considering a career in law before he fell into cooking, too. The brothers worked together in Denver at Frasca, and Jason also had jobs at Denver restaurants like Beckon and Safta. When he first moved back, he helped get Taco Locale off the ground and also worked as executive chef at YaYa‘s Eurobistro.
But the brothers decided to work together to open a contemporary Italian restaurant, which they named FioRito. At the restaurant, which they opened in a onetime service station that was later occupied by Two Brothers BBQ and Burger Grill, the brothers make their own pasta and bread.
Jordan runs the kitchen at FioRito and is transitioning into a general manager role. Jason started as front-of-house manager but is assuming a new role, too. He’ll be more of the big-picture person and is focusing his energies on finding a way for the restaurant to physically grow. The owners need more space and want to find a way to increase from their 40 seats to 80 or 100 seats. They’re not sure if that will mean expanding their current building or relocating, but they hope to have found the solution within a year.
Last year, Jason opened the Mediterranean restaurant Raha in a space that’s attached to the Tap N Paddles pickleball venue at 4956 E. 35th St. North, but he recently left that restaurant and is putting his focus back on FioRito, he said.
The brothers also said that they were grateful to their staff at FioRito, which includes front-of-house manager Aubrey Pennington; kitchen manager Aaron Gorges, who makes the restaurant’s bread; and sous chef Austin Henschel.
“We are truly proud to represent Wichita’s growing culinary scene and to be the first chefs in Wichita nominated for Best Chef: Midwest.”
A couple of other Kansas restaurants and chefs also made the list of 2026 semifinalists.
Swetha Newcomb from Of Course in Overland Park was another Best Chef: Midwest semifinalist.
And Drastic Measures in Shawnee was named a semifinalist in the category of Outstanding Bar.
This story was originally published January 21, 2026 at 1:54 PM.
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