Chicago Reps Hard in James Beard Awards
“A gourmet who counts calories is like a tart who looks at her watch.”That’s my favorite quote from James Beard, larger-than-life culinarian, writer, and the Father of American Cuisine. I never got to meet the man — he died long before I even knew I was a foodie — but I remain a big fan of his impeccable tastes, his eccentric charm and hospitality, and the profound impact he had on the food we all cook and eat today.
The James Beard Foundation, which carries on his mission of providing support and resources for budding young chefs, also promotes excellence in the restaurant industry by handing out highly coveted peer awards each year – Time Magazine calls them “the Oscars of the food world.” And it comes as no surprise that Chicago’s A-list restaurants, chefs and wine & spirits professionals are well represented again in 2012. Check out these Chicago area semi-finalists, all competing for the shiny new James Beard Award medals to be handed out in May:
Best New Restaurant:
Bistronomic
Next
Outstanding Bar Program:
The Aviary
The Violet Hour
Best Chef, Great Lakes Region:
Michael Carson, Schwa
Stephanie Izard, Girl & the Goat
Martial Noquier, Bistronomic
Chris Nugent, Goosefoot
Bruce Sherman, North Pond
Giusseppe Tentori, GT Fish & Oyster
Paul Virant, Vie
Andrew Zimmerman, Sepia
Outstanding Chef:
Paul Kahan, Blackbird
Tony Mantuano, Spiaggia
Carrie Nahabedian, Naha
Outstanding Pastry Chef:
Patrick Fahy, Cafe des Architectes
Mindy Segal, Mindy’s HotChocolate
Outstanding restaurant:
Tru
Outstanding Restaurateur:
Donnie Madia, One Off Hospitality
Outstanding Service:
Spiaggia
Topolobampo
Outstanding Wine Program:
Sepia
Rising Star Chef of the Year:
Dave Beran, Next
David Posey, Blackbird
We at SALUT! would like to congratulate all the nominees, and we wish them the best of luck in the finals. If you live in Chicago and you haven’t yet tasted the spectacular American cuisine these restaurants and chefs create, you should stop reading this right now and call for reservations. And don’t worry about the calories.
James Beard would be proud of you.
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