For one month, American lamb took over menus across the country.
Throughout April, chefs in eight cities participated in Lamb Jam Dine Around Month, creating original small plates that showcased the versatility, flavor, and creativity possible with American lamb. Diners spent the month exploring restaurants, trying dishes, voting for favorites, and discovering just how many directions chefs can take a single ingredient.
Some dishes leaned rich and comforting. Others were bright, smoky, spicy, tangy, or deeply nostalgic. Together, they painted a picture of where modern lamb cookery is heading and why chefs continue to gravitate toward it.
At its core, Lamb Jam has never really been about one style of cooking. It is about giving chefs the space to tell a story through lamb, whether that story comes from heritage, technique, local ingredients, or pure creativity.
And this year’s winners did exactly that.
Chef Cody Chassar earned the East Coast title with Lamb Bellies layered with lamb boudin sausage and carrot sofrito, a dish that embraced richness without holding back. The deeper flavor of the lamb belly paired naturally with the savory boudin, while the carrot sofrito brought balance and brightness to the plate.
It was the kind of dish that felt both refined and deeply comforting at the same time, showcasing how American lamb can stand up to bold flavors while still remaining nuanced and approachable.
On the West Coast, Chef Francis Ang captured attention with his Sinigang Lamb Ribs featuring tamarind glaze and bone broth.
Inspired by the bold sour flavors traditionally found in Filipino sinigang, the dish transformed lamb ribs into something tangy, rich, savory, and layered with depth. The acidity of the tamarind cut through the richness of the lamb in a way that kept diners coming back for another bite.
More than anything, the dish highlighted one of the reasons lamb works so well in global cuisine. Its flavor is strong enough to absorb spice, smoke, acid, and heat while still maintaining its own identity on the plate.
While only two chefs could earn the East and West Coast Champion titles, every participating city delivered dishes that reflected the diversity and adaptability of American lamb.
From smoked lamb ribs in Boston to lamb empanadas in Austin and Parisian gnocchi with braised lamb shoulder in Denver, the competition showcased just how broad the possibilities are when chefs start with quality ingredients and complete creative freedom.
The full list of 2026 Lamb Jam winners includes:
Atlanta — Chef Cody Chassar | Gunshow
Lamb Bellies with lamb boudin sausage and carrot sofrito
East Coast Champion
Austin — Chef Edgar Rico | Nixta Taqueria
Lamb Empanada with smoked and braised lamb, salsa de chile costeño, pickled hakuri turnips, roasted San Marzano tomatoes, bronze fennel, cilantro flowers, and crème fraîche with mint and serrano salsa
Boston — Chef Lambert Givens | Hunter's Kitchen & Bar
Smoked Lamb Ribs with sweet tea glaze, lemon, rosemary, cornbread crumble, and hot honey
Charleston — Chef Bintou N’Daw Young | Bintu Atelier
Oasis BBQ with lamb breast ribs, smoked cumin, date glaze, and crispy chickpeas
Washington, DC — Chef Rakesh Singh | Rasika West End
Lamb Kachori with diced lamb kebab in savory pastry, mint chutney, sweet yogurt, and tamarind chutney
Denver — Chef Alex Grenier | Mercantile Denver
Parisian Gnocchi with braised lamb shoulder, pistachio, and English peas
San Francisco — Chef Francis Ang | Abacá
Sinigang Lamb Ribs with tamarind glaze and bone broth
West Coast Champion
Seattle — Chef Berk Güldal | Hamdi
Yağlı İskender with grilled lamb leg, pide bread, spiced tomato sauce, mint yogurt, and shishito peppers
This summer, the celebration continues with exclusive Lamb Jam dinners hosted by each winning chef at their restaurant. These intimate experiences will feature multi course American lamb menus, curated beverage pairings, storytelling from producers and ranchers, and opportunities for diners to experience the dishes that helped define Lamb Jam 2026.
Then this November, East and West Coast Champions Chef Cody Chassar and Chef Francis Ang will travel to New York City for the Lamb Jam Finale at Platform by James Beard, where the next chapter of the competition unfolds.
