James Beard Nominees Announced
By Erin in Food on Mar 22, 2006 1:03PM
It's that time of year again: the James Beard Foundation's nominees have been announced and, not surprisingly, Chicago represents. And it represents well.
The James Beard is the most coveted prize for culinary professionals, and for those who are both nominated and those who eventually go home with the prize come May, this achievement will follow them for the rest of their dying days. For those not of All-Things-Food, being nominated for a James Beard is, as our good friends at Hungry Mag point out, akin to being nominated for an Oscar.
This year a new category enters the field: Webcasts On Food. Chicagoist finds this unspeakably cool as in many ways the industry has gone kicking and screaming into the world of technology. Props to them. Chicago fairs well outside the kitchen as Rick Bayless's "Mexican Everyday" and the Tribune are up for awards, too.
And the nominees are ...
*The 2006 James Beard Foundation Who’s Who of Food & Beverage in America: Jean Joho, Everest, Chicago
*Outstanding Restaurateur: Richard Melman, Lettuce Entertain You
*Outstanding Restaurant: Everest, Chef/Owner: Jean Joho; Spiaggia, Owner: Levy Restaurants, Chef: Tony Mantuano
*Best New Restaurant: Alinea, Grant Achatz and Nick Kokonas
*Rising Star Chef: Graham Elliot Bowles, Avenues at The Peninsula Hotel
*Outstanding Service: Tru, Rick Tramonto, Gale Gand and Richard Melman
*Best Chef: Midwest: Shawn McClain, Spring; Carrie Nahabedian, Naha
*Food of the Americas: "Mexican Everyday," by Rick Bayless with Deann Groen Bayless
*Newspaper Feature Writing About Restaurants and/or Chefs With or Without Recipes: Mark Caro, “Liver and Let Live” [Chicagoist loved this piece. Loved it. Totally deserves the nod.]
*Newspaper Section with circulation 300,000 and above: Chicago Tribune, Carol Mighton Haddix
*Television Food Segment, National or Local: ABC 7 News at 11:00 (a.m.), Steve Dolinsky, Badriyyah Waheed, WLS-TV (ABC); CBS 2 News, Vince Gerasole, WBBM
*Television Food Show, National: The Kitchen Sessions with Charlie Trotter: Giradet, Charlie Trotter