Chicago restaurants, chefs named James Beard Award nominees
CHICAGO - A bar, restaurant, and four chefs based in Chicago were named nominees for the James Beard Awards, among the most prestigious honors in the industry.
The winners of the awards will be named at a ceremony on June 16 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, according to a news release.
This will be the 35th anniversary of the James Beard Awards.
Local finalists announced
The 2025 awards will feature three new categories: Best New Bar, Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service, and Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service.
Outstanding Restaurant:
Galit, a Middle Eastern restaurant in the Lincoln Park neighborhood, was nominated for Outstanding Restaurant.
"We've always believed that Galit is more than just great food, but also a space where guests feel a true sense of community," said Galit co-owner Andres Clavero, in a statement. "Being recognized by the James Beard Foundation is a testament to the incredible team that brings that vision to life every day, and we're thrilled to celebrate that with them and our guests."
The other finalists included Coquine in Portland, Oregon, Frasca Food and Wine in Boulder, Colorado, Nonesuch in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and Oberlin in Providence, Rhode Island.
Outstanding Bar:
Kumiko, a Japanese dining bar in the city’s West Loop, was among the finalists for "Outstanding Bar."
The other finalists were Scotch Lodge in Portland, Oregon, The Lovers Bar in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Water Witch in Salt Lake City, Utah, and Wolf Tree in White River Junction, Vermont.
Best Chef in the Great Lakes:
Four Chicago-based chefs were also nominated for Best Chef in the Great Lakes region, which includes Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio.
The nominees included Thai Dang, a chef at HaiSous, a Vietnamese restaurant in Pilsen; Chris Jung and Erling Wu-Bower at Maxwells Trading in the West Loop; and Noah Sandoval at Oriole in the West Loop.
The other nominees included Jennifer Blakeslee and Eric Patterson at The Cooks’ House in Traverse City, Michigan, and David Jackman at Wildweed in Cincinnati, Ohio.
What you can do:
Tickets for the James Beard Awards can be purchased online.