Bars Can Be Nominated For Jean Banchet Awards This Year For The First Time
By Rachel Cromidas in Food on Oct 12, 2017 10:22PM
Pre-dessert - polenta citrus crumble, with corn ice cream, sour milk jam, almond brittle, hibiscus compressed apple and fresh thyme. Photo by Kailley Lindman.
Nominations have opened for the annual Jean Banchet Awards, a major honor for local restaurants, and this year bars will be eligible for nominations for the first time.
The public can nominate chefs, restaurants, bars, and other categories here. From there, a secret panel of judges will pick the official nominees, and announce them at the beginning of November.
In addition to adding Best Bar as a new category, the awards have made one other category shake up: the best alternative dining category has been eliminated. Other categories include pastry chef of the year, best chef-de-cuisine, best new restaurant, best neighborhood restaurant and best ethnic restaurant, best mixologist, best sommelier, and best restaurant service.
The annual awards dinner is set for Jan. 14 at Six10 in the South Loop. Last year's Restaurant of the Year was Blackbird, and the top chef was Andrew Brochu of Roister. But note before you nominate: award winners from last year and the previous two years are not eligible to win the same category again this year.