Stella Fong: Once again we had culinary stars shine at the James Beard Restaurant and Chefs Awards.
Earl James Reynolds of Herb and Omni in Whitefish was one of the nominees for Best Chef Mountain and Wild Crumb, a nominee for Outstanding Bakery. For the bakery in Bozeman, Owners Lauren Heemstra and Caroline Schweitzer finally won the category after being nominated for a third time.
Linda Huang, chef and owner of Hummingbird’s Kitchen in Bozeman was a winner in another way. As a semifinalist in the Best Chef: Mountain category in 2025, she was invited to be one of the featured chefs at the 2026 James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards Post-Reception at the historic Union Station. The reception is a celebratory gathering following the Awards Show, featuring food and beverage stations that spotlight exceptional culinary voices from across the United States.
Chef Huang was asked to provide samples for a 1000 people and to propose two options: a protein choice and a vegetarian dish.
Linda Huang: So originally I submitted was one, a lamb dumpling that I was planning to use Montana lamb and Montana flour or pretty much everything that I can use all the ingredients from Montana. Another one, the vegetarian, I wanted to do the wood ear mushroom, tofu skin salad which is very Chinese and it’s quite a unique ingredients. So after I submitted they actually choose the wood ear mushrooms.
Stella Fong: Chef Huang and her team of four arrived on Sunday night and went straight to work for their Monday night event. They arrived at a facility where about 80 other people, chefs with their teams, were prepping.
Linda Huang: That’s like shoulder to shoulder busy kitchen.
Stella Fong: Although busy, Chef Huang found everything to be organized. She was placed in a corner space with everything she needed including all the necessary equipment and ingredients.
Linda Huang: Catering company called J and L Catering company and they work with the JBF Foundation, they do all these big scale, high scale events.
Stella Fong: All the featured chefs arrived hours before the start of the awards ceremony that will be taking place several blocks away.
Linda Huang: We are in Union Station, we are not with the ceremony, different location so we were there more than few hours but Union Station has a huge screen to live stream the ceremony. We were able to watch and I paid especial attention when Wild Crumb won the Outstanding Bakery.
Stella Fong: Eventually guests spill into this space with marbled floors, tall columns, brass lamps and glassed barreled ceilings.
Linda Huang: First of all, Union Station is a huge so we’ve been there for quite a few hours before everyone arrives. It was interesting. It was empty and a beautiful place but when everybody arrived it was like a wave of people that seriously dressed like being at the Oscars.
Stella Fong: And for Chef Huang’s first time at this James Beard Foundation celebration.
Linda Huang: I was excited because it’s hard not be excited because everyone is excited and it is also interesting that I think that it doesn’t matter if you won or you loose and I think there’s an excitement and a relief in there.
Stella Fong: And one of the best times for Chef Huang:
Linda Huang: It was really wonderful to see the moment when Wild Crumb won the Outstanding Bakery. I literally by watching on the screen I really had the tears because I know just how hard they work because I think the sisters, the owners started their business the same year as I did, 2013. Later they came to actually find me or run into me at my booth. Then we hugged, jumped, celebrated each other.
Stella Fong: For Chef Huang, her experience as a featured chef for the awards post reception, brought much insight and many rewards.
Linda Huang: In the chef world, people often hear is about how big an ego we have, but what I have seen is everyone had a respect to each other no matter you won or you lose because again everyone knows to be there you got to put the hard work in so there is a level of really interesting respect to each other and the happiness and the connection. I really have hope for the future of this food industry.
Stella Fong: This is Stella Fong, host for Flavors Under the Big Sky for YPR News.
