Shani Watkins, founder of GreenCycle Delaware, has been awarded the 2026 Delaware Small Business Innovation Award and its $50,000 grant from the Delaware Division of Small Business.

GreenCycle provides commercial composting services to restaurants, hotels, and event venues across Kent and Sussex Counties. Since 2024, they’ve diverted over 800 tons of food waste from landfills, partnered with 45 commercial clients, and created 12 full-time jobs in Dover.

The grant will fund two additional collection trucks and expansion into New Castle County by October. ‘Shani represents exactly the kind of innovation Delaware needs — profitable, environmentally responsible, and creating local jobs,’ said Secretary of State Jeffrey Bullock.

Chef Adriana Santos of Cocina del Sol, a contemporary Latin American restaurant on Union Street in Wilmington, has been named a semifinalist for the 2026 James Beard Award for Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic.

Santos, who opened Cocina del Sol in 2024, has quickly earned a reputation for elevated dishes rooted in her Colombian and Mexican heritage, using locally sourced Delaware ingredients. Her signature dish — a mole negro made with 28 ingredients and prepared over three days — has become a destination dish for food lovers across the region.

“This recognition belongs to my entire team,” Santos said. “Every plate that leaves our kitchen represents their dedication and passion.”

The James Beard Awards, often called the “Oscars of the food world,” recognize outstanding talent in the culinary and food media industries. Semifinalists will be narrowed to finalists in March, with winners announced at a ceremony in Chicago in June.

Cocina del Sol is located at 412 N Union Street, Wilmington. Reservations are recommended and can be made through their website.