Chicago wins big at Beards in lots of ways
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Chef Jacob Potashnick of Feld won Chicago's only James Beard chef award Monday night. Photo: Monica Eng/Axios
Chicago may have snagged just one James Beard chef award Monday night, but the city's restaurants scored other benefits from food writers, critics and chefs who packed dining rooms across town during awards week.
State of play: Chef Jake Potashnick, whose Ukrainian Village restaurant Feld has wowed Chicago diners with its seasonality and inventiveness, took home a medal for Best Chef Great Lakes.
What he's saying: "It's like a childhood dream come true," Potashnick tells Axios. "I was such a little foodie nerd kid and to have this happen — I could never have imagined it in my wildest dreams ... but we're just trying to make ourselves a little better everyday and the next day."
State of play: Last night, officials from the James Beard Awards and the city told Axios that they are still discussing whether the awards will stay in Chicago beyond 2028.
- But here's hoping they will, because, as you can see below, the awards pay off in a lot of ways.
Here's where the mega foodies ate while they were in town:
"Daisies for the fritto misto and desserts and Creepies for the "gougere, eggs and mayonnaise and the fries of my life. Plus, I'm such a fan of chef Anna Posey." –Francis Lam, editor in chief at Clarkson Potter and host of The Splendid Table
I went to "Four Letter Word cafe for coffee and Lula Cafe for the trout scramble and pancakes — my favorite pancakes ever — and the asparagus and stracciatella and the house salad. It's so good." –Hailee Catalano, Beard winner of best general interest cookbook for "By Heart"
- The Elmhurst native is also heading for Cellar Door, where she cooked while in Chicago.
Akahoshi Ramen served up "an absolutely fantastic meal. The yolk on the egg was like yolk liqueur. The noodles: fantastic. The broth: yum. Ramen Lord (Mike Satinover) is obsessive about every detail and I love that. It's very Portland." –Karen Brooks, veteran Portland Monthly food critic
Cellar Door Provisions: "I love watching their evolution, the smart, startling ingredients and a little retro '90s theme running through some of the dishes like the brie agnolotti." –Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times dining critic
Bar Kumiko: "We had a whiskey drink that tasted like curry, which was incredible ... great bites included grilled Madai collar, duck soba and, of course, the burger.
- Another standout was All Well, by Noah Sandoval, a former Richmond chef. So I figured I'd visit Richmond in Chicago." –Justin Lo, Richmond Times-Dispatch dining critic
Kasama for brunch and then again Kasama for dinner. –Dave Utterback, chef at Ota and Yoshitomo in Omaha, Nebraska
Oriole, Smyth, JP Graziano's and Bar Kumiko. –Dave Beran, chef at Seline in Santa Monica, Calif., former chef at Chicago's Next and Alinea
Boka, last night we went with our entire team and it was phenomenal from the first bite til the end. Lee Wolen and team just crushed it." –Beard- nominated chef Vinnie Cimino of Cordelia in Cleveland
"Schwa, I go there every time I come to Chicago. *I just love those people and the food is mind-blowing." –El-P of Run the Jewels and Beard presenter
Original Pancake House "They took it out of Atlanta and so my wife, in every city we go, to she gets pancake and they're still here so I had a chance to sit outside for like a Parisian breakfast and have pancakes and hash browns." –Killer Mike of of Run the Jewels and Beard presenter.
"Asador Bastian has been the highlight of my one and a half days in Chicago so far. I love that restaurant." –Baker and chef Nancy Silverton who won this year's Lifetime Achievement