Monday was a big night for the culinary world across the nation and Chicago, as well as a chance for chefs and restaurateurs to appear on the national stage. any walked away with impressive accolades at the James Beard Awards, including three local culinary experts. NBC 5’s Christian Farr reports.
Three Chicago chefs took home some of the dining industry's highest honors Monday night.
Known as the "Oscars of the food world," the 2023 James Beard Awards, held at the Lyric Opera of Chicago Monday honored the most innovative people in the restaurant industry across a variety of culinary categories, including Outstanding Bakery, Outstanding Hospitality, and a handful of Best Chefs throughout different regions.
In Chicago, six chefs at five restaurants in total were nominated. Three chefs came out on top.
In the category of Best Emerging Chef -- a national category that saw five chefs nominated across five different cities -- Damarr Brown, of Virtue, was crowned the winner.
"It's really exciting," Brown said of winning. "You know, a lot of people, my friends lost... People I've read about and looked up to for years, so I'm just really excited to be in a room."
Brown is the chef de cuisine at Virtue in Hyde Park, the same southern-inspired restaurant where Chef Erick Williams won a prestigious James Beard Award in 2022. Brown praised Williams in his acceptance speech.
"I'd like to thank Chef Erick Williams for the last 13 years, you have been an example for me..." he said.
Local
Chicago also saw a winner in the Best Chef -- Great Lakes category, which also saw five nominees compete, including two Chicago restaurants: Kasama, in Ukrainian Village, and Mi Tocaya Antojería, Logan Square.
Ultimately, Tim Flores and Genie Kwon, the husband and wife team behind Kasama, a Filipino restaurant in Ukrainian Village, pulled out the win.
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"I never thought that I'd be cooking Filipino food until we opened Kasama and to be recognized for cooking my mom's food is insane," Flores said.
Here's the full list of restaurants and chefs from Chicago that were nominated for awards this year. Winners are highlighted in bold.
- Damarr Brown of Virtue, 1462 E. 53rd St., 773-947-8831,Emerging Chef
- Obelix, 700 N. Sedgwick St., 312-877-5348, Best New Restaurant
- Sepia, 123 N. Jefferson St., 312-441-1920, Outstanding Hospitality
- Diana Dávila Boldin of Mi Tocaya Antojería, 2800 W. Logan Blvd., 872-315-3947, Best Chef, Great Lakes (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio)
- Tim Flores and Genie Kwon of Kasama, 1001 North Winchester Ave., Best Chef, Great Lakes
The full list of 2023 James Beard nominees can be found here.
Here’s the complete list of 2023 James Beard award winners:
- Outstanding Chef: Rob Rubba, Oyster Oyster, Washington, D.C.
- Outstanding Restaurant: Friday Saturday Sunday, Philadelphia, PA
- Best New Restaurant: Kann, Portland, OR
- Outstanding Restaurateur: Ellen Yin, High Street Hospitality Group (Fork, a.kitchen + bar, High Street, and others), Philadelphia, PA
- Emerging Chef: Damarr Brown, Virtue, Chicago
- Outstanding Bakery: Yoli Tortilleria, Kansas City, MO
- Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker: Margarita Manzke, République, Los Angeles, CA
- Outstanding Hospitality: The Quarry, Monson, ME
- Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program: OTOTO, Los Angeles, CA
- Outstanding Bar: Bar Leather Apron, Honolulu, HI
- Best Chef California: Justin Pichetrungsi, Anajak Thai, Sherman Oaks, CA
- Best Chef Great Lakes: Tim Flores and Genie Kwon, Kasama, Chicago
- Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic: Chutatip “Nok” Suntaranon, Kalaya, Philadelphia, PA
- Best Chef: Midwest: Itaru Nagano and Andrew Kroeger, Fairchild, Madison, WI
- Best Chef Mountain: Kris Komori, KIN, Boise, ID
- Best Chef New York State: Junghyun Park, Atomix, New York, NY
- Best Chef Northeast: Sherry Pocknett, Sly Fox Den Too, Charlestown, RI
- Best Chef Northwest & Pacific: Vince Nguyen, Berlu, Portland, OR
- Best Chef South: Natalia Vallejo, Cocina al Fondo, San Juan, PR
- Best Chef Southeast: Terry Koval, The Deer and the Dove, Decatur, GA
- Best Chef Southwest: Andrew Black, Grey Sweater, Oklahoma City, OK
- Best Chef Texas: Benchawan Jabthong Painter, Street to Kitchen, Houston, TX
