Las Vegas Chef Etches Place in History By Becoming Strip’s First Female James Beard Winner

Posted on: June 16, 2026, 10:13h. 

Last updated on: June 16, 2026, 10:20h.

Devin O'Connor @CasinoorgDevinO Read More
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  • Sarah Thompson is the best chef in the southwest, according to the James Beard Awards
  • Thompson leads Casa Playa, an upscale Mexican restaurant inside Encore Las Vegas
  • It’s the second year in a row that the Wynn Las Vegas chef was nominated for the award

Sarah Thompson at Wynn Las Vegas’ Casa Playa has secured her place in food history by becoming the first female chef on the Strip to be bestowed the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Southwest.

Las Vegas chef Sarah Thompson Casa Playa
Sarah Thompson speaks onstage during the 2026 James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards on June 15, 2026, in Chicago. Thompson was named Best Chef: Southwest for her offering at Casa Playa at Wynn Las Vegas. (Image: Getty)

On Monday (June 15) night, the 2026 James Beard Foundation Restaurant and Chef Awards were held at the prestigious Lyric Opera of Chicago. For the first time in the history of the awards, a female chef on the Las Vegas Strip was named the most outstanding chef for the Southwest category, which includes Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, and Oklahoma.

Thompson of Casa Playa, located inside Encore, was the history-maker.

It is a huge honor to receive this award from the James Beard Foundation, and a testament to the hard work, passion, and hospitality of my entire team. Every day, we work together to make Casa Playa a place that celebrates the vibrant flavors, fresh ingredients, and soulful traditions of Mexico — many of the reasons why I fell in love with Mexican cuisine,” said Thompson.

Thompson added that it’s an “incredible privilege” to work with her talented colleagues at Wynn Las Vegas. 2026 marked the second year in a row Thompson was nominated for the Best Chef: Southwest accolade.

Casa Playa Fare

Thompson’s Casa Playa is one of 10 fine dining options at the luxury Wynn Las Vegas casino resort. Described as “coastal Mexican,” Casa Playa is designed to be family-style, with a focus on fresh seafood, seasonal ingredients, and a housemade masa program.

After attending culinary school in New York, Thompson honed her craft while working at the Michelin-starred Marea on Columbus Circle in Manhattan. Her later employment at Cosme, a modern restaurant inside The Mercer hotel in SoHo, is where she developed her love for Mexican cuisine.

That opened my eyes to a different culture and a cuisine that spoke to me,” Thompson said of Cosme.

Thompson arrived in Las Vegas amid the pandemic, where she worked at Elio, the Wynn Las Vegas restaurant that would transform into Casa Playa in September 2021. Wynn tapped Thompson to lead the new dining experience, and since then, she’s been a champion for female chefs.

Thompson’s team includes a staff consisting of more than 50% women, establishing her reputation as a “devoted mentor” of female chefs.

Las Vegas’ Other Female James Beard Star

Thompson is the first female chef on the Strip to achieve a Best Chef award from the James Beard Foundation. However, she isn’t the first female in Las Vegas to gain such recognition.

In 2011, Saipin Chutima was named Best Chef: Southwest by the James Beard Foundation. Chutima is the chef and restaurateur of Lotus of Siam, a hole-in-the-wall Thai restaurant located in a strip mall along Sahara Avenue about three-fourths of a mile east of the Las Vegas Strip.

Chutima, who was born in Thailand before immigrating to Los Angeles in 1987, relocated to Las Vegas and opened Lotus of Siam in 1999. Today, she has three restaurants. Along with the original location on Sahara Ave., there is a Lotus of Siam on Flamingo Road and another inside the Red Rock Resort.