Among the nominees for National Awards is Jason Vincent, owner and operator of Logan Square’s Giant, for the role of Outstanding Chef.
Nine chefs, restaurants and bars in Chicago have won six awards. The foundation canceled its awards during the first two years of the pandemic and came under scrutiny of its judging practices, vowing to become more equitable with the return of its awards this year. This year’s awards come after the Foundation counted the year 2020 with a lack of diversity among potential winners. Mayor Lori Lightfoot walks in red while attending the James Beard Foundation Awards Ceremony at Lyric Opera House Monday night in Chicago. Read more from Tribune’s Josh Noel on how the fledgling pub moved. Nobody, Darling, a quirky bar in Chicago’s Andersonville neighborhood, made it to the finals during its freshman year, a rare feat. The national award went to Julep from Houston.
The second category with finalists in Chicago is a premium bar program. Normally everyone thinks we’ll be wearing matching suits, which we did earlier today, but we decided to go a little more complicated.” “I think that was the only thing we planned on.
Until then, a few notes from Tribune critic Nick Kindlesberger: Christian Clemson, the actor who played James Beard on the latest TV show, Julia, has been on stage to present the awards for Best Chef: Northwest and Pacific and Best Chef: Texas.ĭawn Padmore, Vice President of Awards for the James Beard Foundation, led a moment of silence for all the restaurant workers who have lost their lives during the pandemic.Īnd a little more about those killer suits from Kasama chefs Jenny Kwon and Tim Flores: “We knew we wanted to match,” Kwon said of Sienna’s burnt suits. Scroll down to see a live video from the concert.Īs the Best Regional Chef Awards advance, Chicago finalists will be at the bottom of the nominees as four of the five finalists in the Great Lakes category. Follow them on Twitter, and check back here for live updates all night long. The James Beard Foundation Awards return to Chicago on Monday after a two-year hiatus, to celebrate the best and brightest of the culinary world nationally.Ĭhicago Tribune food critics Louisa Chu and Nick Kindlesberger will be on hand on Monday, providing live coverage as prominent chefs and restaurants from around the country gather at Lyric’s Civic Opera Building for the awards gala.