Here Are The Standout Restaurants Nominated For The 2017 Jean Banchet Awards
By Stephen Gossett in Food on Nov 1, 2016 4:13PM
Corn Panna Cotta paired with masa cake, corn powder, peach salad, spiced kataifi, peach sorbet and fresh basil. Photo by Kailley Lindman.
The James Beard Awards may get the most international play (and local poltical clout), but if you want to eat like the most discerning locals, Jean Banchet Awards are among the best barometers, conisdering its panel is comprised of Chicago-based food writers.
This year's nominations were announced on Monday. In the most prominent categories, Restaurant of the Year nods went to Blackbird, El Ideas, Schwa and Sepia (good luck picking between those) and Chef of the Year honoros will go to one of the following standouts: Andrew Brochu (Roister), Sarah Grueneberg (Monteverde), Gene Kato (Sumi Robata Bar) and John Manion (La Sirena Clandestina/El Che Bar).
As Eater points out, this year's awards includes a new category, Best Alternative Dining, which honors enterprises like pop-ups and food trucks, which thank you, because food trucks need all the help they can get in Chicago right now.
Have a look at the rest of the nominess below, and take a minute to reminisce with last year's nominations and winners. Winners will be announced at the awards ceremony on Jan. 15.
Rising Chef of the Year:
Ashlee Aubin (Salero)
Cameron Grant (Osteria Langhe/Animale)
Bill Montagne & Jennifer Kim (Snaggletooth)
Charles Welch (Honey's)
Best Chef-de-Cuisine:
Wilson Bauer (Schwa)
Nick Dostal (Sixteen)
Ryan Pfeiffer (Blackbird)
Sarah Rinkavage (Lula Cafe)
Pastry Chef of the Year:
Meg Galus (Swift & Sons/Momotaro/Boka)
Genie Kwon (Oriole)
Mindy Segal (Mindy's HotChocolate)
Cindy Schuman (Sepia)
Rising Pastry Chef of the Year:
Dave Brandenburgh (Band of Bohemia)
Alison Cates (Honey's)
Aya Fukai (Maple & Ash)
Marianna Reynolds (El Che Bar)
Best Neighborhood Restaurant:
Arbor
Owen & Engine
Snaggletooth
Sumi Robata Bar
Best Ethnic Restaurant:
5 Loaves Eatery
Go 4 Food
Hanbun
Immm Rice & Beyond
Best New Restaurant:
The Loyalist
Monteverde
Oriole
Roister
Best Sommelier:
Rachel Driver Speckan (City Winery)
Parag Lalit (Sixteen)
Aaron McManus (Oriole)
Terry McNeese (De Quay)
Best Mixologist:
Griffin Elliott (Sepia)
Nandini Khaund (Cindy's)
Julia Momose (GreenRiver)
Benjamin Schiller (the Berkshire Room/the Sixth/Steadfast)
Best Restaurant Design:
Dixie
El Che Bar
GT Prime
Smyth
Best Restaurant Service:
Boka
Honey's
Maple & Ash
Oriole
Best Alternative Dining:
Claudia
Happy Lobster
Nomad
Tamale Spaceship