Contained in the Briscoe Western Artwork Museum, Chris Cullum minimize a well-known victory pose. He took a bow, smiled for the cameras and lifted a trophy.
His Tobin Hill eatery, Cullum’s Attaboy, received the CultureMap San Antonio Tastemaker Award for Restaurant of the 12 months Thursday evening.
In 2025, his smaller Tobin Hill eatery, Cullum’s Attagirl, claimed the Tastemaker Award for Neighborhood Restaurant of the 12 months.
“It simply goes to indicate that I’ve a tremendous group,” Cullum mentioned as he celebrated back-to-back triumphs with chef de delicacies Alysha Brooke. “And I’m grateful to combat the great combat each day with them.”
The Tastemaker Awards drew lots of of friends and dozens of nominees throughout 10 classes to acknowledge San Antonio’s prime restaurant, chef and bar expertise for 2026.
Sue Kim was named Chef of the 12 months for her work at The Magpie.
Jue Let received for Bar of the 12 months after opening lower than six months in the past at Pearl.
“Actually, the work we’ve accomplished appears like a 12 months — so it appears like a win,” mentioned Jue Let proprietor Jennifer Dobbertin. “We labored so laborious for a very long time to open Jue Let. We have been stunned but in addition we actually needed to win.”
Different winners included Matt Garcia of Gigi’s Deli for Rising Chef of the 12 months; Con Huevos Tacos for Neighborhood Restaurant of the 12 months; Nicosi for Dessert Program of the 12 months; NoFi Gradual Bar for Espresso Store of the 12 months; Beacon Hill Market & Deli for Sandwich of the 12 months; Buddy’s Massive Bother for Finest Pop-up; and Honey’s Hen Joint for Finest New Restaurant.
A panel of culinary connoisseurs and former Tastemaker winners chosen 2026 winners in 9 classes. CultureMap readers determined the Finest New Restaurant.
The awards ceremony and tasting occasion featured food and drinks samples from a spread of kitchens, bakeries and bars, together with Finest High quality Daughter, The Jerk Shack, Anacacho Espresso & Cantina and Jots on the Gunter Resort.
Cullum continues to assemble awards and acclaim. Months after opening his brick-and-mortar in 2022, the gifted culinarian garnered a headline from Texas Month-to-month: “Christopher Cullum’s Attaboy is extra Paris Bistro than San Antonio Diner.”
Of Cullum’s omelet, the journal wrote, “The feel is someplace between scandalous and celestial, a miracle of completely set egg and God is aware of how a lot butter.”
Since then, Attaboy has earned two Michelin Bib Gourmands and Cullum has been named a James Beard finalist for Finest Chef: Texas.
Cullum shared the Tastemaker Award with a jubilant Alysha Brooke, a graduate of Pearl’s Culinary Institute of America.
“Actually, I didn’t even know we have been nominated,” mentioned Brooke, a proficient chef who received the Fajita Lounge Showdown in 2024. “This feels insane. We’ve got labored actually laborious all 12 months. It’s reassurance that we’re doing an excellent job.”
