Sarah Thompson, the chef at Casa Playa at Encore, won the 2026 James Beard Awards Best Chef: Southwest. Not only is it one of the highest validations of Sara, but it also breaks a 15-year Las Vegas losing streak. The last time Las Vegas won Best Chef was in 2011, when it was awarded to Saipin Chutima of Lotus of Siam. In the ceremony that took place last night in Chicago, Vegas was blanked in the other four categories it had finalists. Casa Playa advertises itself as a “coastal Mexican restaurant focusing on fresh seafood, seasonal ingredients, and a housemade masa program.” And kudos to the Wynn for adding, “The menu [is] from 2026 James Beard Award-winner Chef Sarah Thompson; that was quick website work. For a little background on and a photo of Sara Thompson and a few words about the restaurant, Eater Las Vegas has the deets.
Source: Las Vegas News