Know Chicago's 11 James Beard Semi-Finalists
Plus, lots of news from Angelic Organics Learning Center
A Little Frosting
It’s hardly the storm of the century, but it has been snowing steadily for most of the day. Not noteworthy in most winters, but we’ve had so very little snow so far this season. There don’t seem to be major disruptions, the snow is actually completely covering the grassy surfaces for a change, and the white provides a bit of a break from this winter’s gray and brown motif.
Meet Our Local James Beard Award Semi-Finalists
The James Beard Foundation today announced the semi-finalists for its 2023 Restaurant and Chef Awards, and the list includes 11 Chicago-area names:
Smyth (in the running for Outstanding Restaurant)
Damarr Brown, Virtue (Emerging Chef)
Khmai Cambodian Fine Dining (Best New Restaurant)
Obélix (Best New Restaurant)
Sepia (Outstanding Hospitality)
All Together Now (Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program)
Diana Dávila Boldin, Mi Tocaya Antojería (Best Chef: Great Lakes)
Thai Dang, HaiSous (Best Chef: Great Lakes)
Paul Fehribach, Big Jones (Best Chef: Great Lakes)
Tim Flores and Genie Kwon, Kasama (Best Chef: Great Lakes)
Zubair Mohajir, Wazwan (Best Chef: Great Lakes)
Also, Abra Berens of Granor Farm in Three Oaks, Michigan, who has strong ties to Chicago, is a semi-finalist for Best Chef: Great Lakes.
The finalists will be announced on March 29. The annual awards ceremony will again be right here in Chicago, at the Lyric Opera House, on Monday, June 5.
Angelic Organics Learning Center’s Busy Winter
Our friends at Angelic Organics Learning Center — located in Caledonia in far north-central Illinois — have had so much news that it’s hard to keep up with. So I’m sharing a rundown about one of our great non-profits.
Roots and Wings Urban Farm Opens CSA Subscriptions
Angelic Organics Learning Center coordinates the Roots and Wings Urban Farm located in the Blackhawk Courts housing project in Rockford, not far from the Center’s rural home base. And the farm’s community supported agriculture (CSA) subscriptions for this coming summer and fall are now open. Click the button below for details and signup information.
According to the Center, “The Roots & Wings network was launched in 2002 and is coordinated by Angelic Organics Learning Center. The purpose of Roots & Wings is to build authentic relationships in order to motivate, educate, and inspire the community members to grow, get, and eat good food. The Roots & Wings CSA program is a successful socially oriented urban farm business that increases access to fresh, healthy, affordable food and provides employment opportunities. The Blackhawk Courts farm and garden is located within Blackhawk Courts, a Rockford Housing Authority property.”
Time to Apply for Stateline Farm Beginnings Program
Stateline Farm Beginnings, run by Angelic Organics Learning Center, is one of region’s most highly regarded farmer training programs. The next cohort begins March 2; applications are open and reviewed on a rolling basis, and the deposit to hold your spot is due by February 16.
And the big news: Thanks to generous grants from the Illinois Department of Agriculture and Food:Land:Opportunity, the total Farm Dreams Intensive tuition cost is reduced this year to $200, down from the regular cost of $800. Scholarship funding is also available.
Click the button below to learn more and apply.
Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Success
In December, Local Food Forum shared word about the effort by Angelic Organics Learning Center to recruit peer-to-peer fundraisers for its end of year campaign. So I’m pleased to share that the Center recently reported collecting $22,720 through this campaign. Congratulations on exceeding your goal!
Job Posting for Full Time Program Manager
Finally, Angelic Organics has posted an opening for a full-time program manager. According to the Center, the manager will “support the educational programs of our Farmer Training team, including program coordination and delivery, outreach and recruitment for programs, program evaluation, and farmer alliance work.”
Click the button below to learn more.