Chicago Rocks James Beard Nominations
Read all about the stars up for this year's awards
Chicago Rocks James Beard Award Nominations
The James Beard Foundation Awards will be back at Chicago’s Lyric Opera House this June 13, after a two-year hiatus caused by the pandemic.
And more good news: Several outstanding members of our own culinary community won’t have to travel far to learn whether they’ve won one of the treasured medallions.
First, it is always cool to see someone with whom you’ve done work in the list of James Beard nominees. So congratulations to Maya-Camille Broussard of Justice of the Pies, who is in the finals for the nation’s Outstanding Baker.
Maya, who combines her amazing sweet and savory baking skills with a passion for social justice, was a fellow in FamilyFarmed’s Good Food Accelerator program when I worked for the organization.
Chicago is also represented among the finalists (announced today) in four other major national categories:
• Jason Vincent of Giant restaurant is a finalist for Outstanding Chef.
• Parachute, the flagship of chefs Beverly Kim and Johnny Clark, is up for Outstanding Restaurant.
• Nobody’s Darling, which describes itself as an LGBTQIA+ friendly bar, is in the finals for Outstanding Bar Program.
• Kasama, a modern Filipino restaurant and bakery, is a nominee for Best New Restaurant.
But wait, there’s more. Chicago is home to four of the five nominees for Best Chef: Great Lakes. They are:
• Jason Hammel, Lula Cafe (Jason is a legendary supporter of our local farmers)
• Noah Sandoval, Oriole
• John Shields and Karen Urie Shields, Smyth
• Erick Williams, Virtue Restaurant & Bar
I hope to snag interviews with a bunch of these nominees over the three months before the Awards ceremony. Stay tuned…
Click below to read the press release from the James Beard Foundation, which includes the names of all nominees from across the nation.
