{"id":870282,"date":"2026-06-16T03:37:17","date_gmt":"2026-06-16T03:37:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/870282\/"},"modified":"2026-06-16T03:37:17","modified_gmt":"2026-06-16T03:37:17","slug":"james-beard-restaurant-and-chef-awards-2026-the-chicago-winner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/870282\/","title":{"rendered":"James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards 2026: The Chicago winner"},"content":{"rendered":"

At the 2026 James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards, the highest culinary honors in the United States, Jacob Potashnick, chef and owner of Feld<\/a>, was the city\u2019s sole winner at Monday night\u2019s ceremony at Lyric Opera.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a childhood dream come true\u2026 never in my wildest dreams,\u201d Potashnick said moments after he was announced the winner for the Best Chef: Great Lakes category. \u201cI\u2019ve often said that Feld is a restaurant where I tell other people\u2019s stories and that\u2019s down to the chopsticks, not just the food \u2014 it\u2019s the tableware and the paintings. It\u2019s so important that people understand that it\u2019s a restaurant that\u2019s special because we are sharing other people\u2019s stories.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Potashnick, 33, said he set out to create a restaurant driven by the produce and product coming from the farmers, fishermen and ranchers. The courses can be tiny, from a teeny teacup of hot chicken broth infused with the aged Alpine echo of Pleasant Ridge Reserve cheese or a squiggly sweet funnel cake dusted with spicebush berry sugar. But the kitchen and its ever-evolving menu are unique, Potashnick said, and it\u2019s a testament to his team that it somehow works.<\/p>\n

\u201cI always bring it back to the team because every one of these recognitions doesn\u2019t allow just me to call my mom and go \u2018we did it,\u2019 but it allows my team to call their moms and say \u2018we did it!\u2019\u201d he said. \u201cBut if our guests don\u2019t like their meal, none of this matters. What matters is everyday we come in grounded and ready to put in the work and be our best.\u201d<\/p>\n

The ceremony at the Lyric Opera, hosted by \u201cTop Chef\u201d judge, author and producer Gail Simmons, marked a major milestone with the James Beard Foundation\u2019s 40th anniversary. Celebrity chefs and TV personalities presented the most prestigious awards in the U.S. restaurant industry, filling the gaps with messages of resilience and ones that celebrated the tireless contributions of immigrants in hospitality. Many winners spoke of their immigrant roots and the power of coming together.<\/p>\n

During remarks at the beginning of the evening, Gov. J.B. Pritzker was quick to issue a resounding rejection of the Trump administration\u2019s suppression of immigrant communities<\/a> in Chicago and across the country.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"ChefChef Jacob Potashnick of Feld competing in the Best Chef: Great Lakes category, walks the red carpet before attending the 2026 James Beard Awards at the Lyric Opera House on June 15, 2026, in Chicago. (Armando L. Sanchez\/Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n

\u201cMany of these communities have been under siege by the president of the United States. I will always stand against these attacks on our people,\u201d Pritzker said. \u201cIllinois has a deep and lengthy tradition of coming together through food. That is the spirit of this gathering tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mayor Brandon Johnson, who emphasized Chicago as a culinary hub with 77 unique neighborhoods, said the James Beard Awards are an invaluable opportunity to lift up the city\u2019s hospitality industry at a time when restaurants and food systems face challenges.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are proud of our immigrants and undocumented immigrant community who have played an incredible role in the restaurant industry,\u201d Johnson said on stage. \u201cAs long as I\u2019m mayor of the city of Chicago, we will never bend or submit to authoritarianism.\u201d<\/p>\n

Potashnick was presented the award for Best Chef: Great Lakes by Beverly Kim and Johnny Clark, chefs and owners of Parachute HiFi and Anelya.<\/p>\n

Chicago has more wins in the Best Chef: Great Lakes category, which covers Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio, than any other city. Last year, it went to Noah Sandoval of Oriole. In 2023, Tim Flores and Genie Kwon of Kasama took home the win in the category, while Erick Williams of Virtue won in 2022.<\/p>\n

The city has historically fared well at the James Beard Awards, typically winning at least one medal each year the awards are given. The last time Chicago had only one James Beard Award winner was in 2024<\/a>, when the Outstanding Hospitality award went to Lula Cafe in Logan Square.<\/p>\n

Even as the city rolled out the red carpet for the restaurant industry\u2019s biggest night, ongoing controversy remains over Chicago\u2019s tipped minimum wage workers and their advocates.<\/p>\n

Chicago passed legislation in 2023 to gradually eliminate the tip credit, a move that would force employers to pay all tipped workers the same standard minimum wage. But less than a month ago, intense debates and city hall arguments resulted in a compromise that delayed the end of tipped minimum wage for two years and put a scheduled pay hike on pause until 2028 or longer if a business has fewer than 21 employees.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Supporters of the measure tout the compromise as a way to protect the health of Chicago\u2019s hospitality industry, while opponents say it will harm the city\u2019s most vulnerable restaurant workers.\u00a0<\/p>\n

During a time when the restaurant industry faces growing challenges, from immigration crackdowns to low wages, Potashnick\u2019s win underscores the role of fine dining restaurants that \u201ctry to do the right thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI designed Feld under the mindset of wanting my employees to be incredibly well paid, I wanted them to have health insurance\u2026 we do a service charge in place of gratuity because it acts as revenue sharing,\u201d Potashnick said to the Tribune. \u201cI like to think Feld does things the right way with how we compensate our team and I think the more people can see that you can run a successful business while doing proper compensation, the more likely they are as owners to open a restaurant that does the same.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Potashnick has experienced a whirlwind two years since opening his Ukrainian Village restaurant in 2024.\u00a0Feld earned its first Michelin star<\/a> in 2025. The restaurant\u00a0also won Jean Banchet Awards<\/a> this year for Best New Restaurant and Best Hospitality, and recently received a Tribune Critic\u2019s Choice award<\/a> for its culinary execution and ambitious menu.<\/p>\n

\u201cEverybody wants to know what\u2019s next, but the core of Feld forever has always been just trying to make ourselves better tomorrow than we were today,\u201d Potashnick said. \u201cMy goal is to keep making Feld the best restaurant. I love being there, I love working there, I love my team. I just want to continue to watch it grow and develop.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chicago had semifinalists<\/a> in almost every major category this year, including nine for Best Chef: Great Lakes. The three Chicago nominees<\/a> going into Monday night were narrowed down from 23 Chicago semifinalists.<\/p>\n

\"ChefChef Norman Fenton of Cari\u00f1o walks the red carpet before attending the 2026 James Beard Awards at the Lyric Opera House on June 15, 2026, in Chicago. (Armando L. Sanchez\/Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n

The other Chicago nominee in the Best Chef: Great Lakes category was Norman Fenton of Cari\u00f1o. Fenton, who opened Uptown\u2019s Cari\u00f1o<\/a> in 2023 with restaurateur Karen Young, has put together a modernist Latin-inspired tasting menu alongside a late-night taco omakase. Fenton, originally from Detroit, celebrates Mexican cuisine ambitiously, but freely. The restaurant earned its first Michelin star<\/a> within a year of opening.<\/p>\n

Fenton walked the red carpet with his wife and two boys, something he said meant more than anything else.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m going to tear up just thinking\u2026 I am so grateful that we can spend this night together,\u201d Fenton told the Tribune on Monday. \u201cIt\u2019s more than getting this award.. It means more than getting a Michelin Star. I\u2019d throw it all away to have this moment with my family.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Fenton\u2019s wife, Karina Garc\u00eda, lived in Mexico with their sons for four years while the family waited through an immigration process. They finally received their green cards at the end of September last year.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Fenton will soon open the doors to his tortiller\u00eda, Molino Los Hermanos<\/a>. Fenton\u2019s new dual-concept business, which will be next door to Cari\u00f1o, will feature a retail side with a double volcanic stone mill where customers can purchase house-made, wholesale tortillas and a 24-seat chef\u2019s counter on the other side. Molino Los Hermanos will be more accessible to diners with no reservations and price points that are more wallet-friendly.<\/p>\n

The Emerging Chef award, in which Monteverde\u2019s Bailey Sullivan was a nominee, went to Adrian Torres, chef of Maximo in West University Place, Texas. Torres loudly declared, \u201cI\u2019m proud to be an immigrant,\u201d as he accepted the award, recounting his family\u2019s journey to get to the culinary industry\u2019s biggest night.<\/p>\n

\"BaileyBailey Sullivan of Monteverde Restaurant & Pastificio walks the red carpet before attending the 2026 James Beard Awards at the Lyric Opera House on June 15, 2026, in Chicago. (Armando L. Sanchez\/Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n

Sullivan<\/a>, a first-time James Beard Award nominee, gained widespread recognition as a finalist<\/a> on Season 22 of Bravo\u2019s \u201cTop Chef,\u201d<\/a> but she\u2019s put in years as a line and pasta cook at Monteverde in the West Loop, where she helped shape the restaurant\u2019s evolving approach to Italian cooking.\u00a0<\/p>\n

As she walked the red carpet alongside Sarah Grueneberg, chef and owner of Monteverde, Sullivan took a minute to process her journey and what she hopes to instill in the younger chefs in her kitchen at Monteverde.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI have to think about my line cooks, I have to think about the next generation \u2014 everyone wants everything now, with things like TikTok and the thought process of \u2018I can be a sous chef in a day, right?\u2019 Sullivan said. \u201cBut it takes practice, practice, practice, practice. You have to fail, and you have to work through it, and you have to find your way to succeed\u2026 enjoy where you are right now, because when you take the next step, you\u2019re going to miss it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Before the ceremony, Johnson said his administration will continue to work with the James Beard Foundation to keep the awards in Chicago beyond 2028.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Beards have been held annually in Chicago since 2015. The current deal with Chicago was to expire in 2027 and there was speculation that the awards could move. But the new agreement ensures the ceremony remains at the Lyric Opera at least through the 2027 and 2028 award cycles.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur palette here in Chicago is second to none \u2014 I believe keeping these awards right here sends a powerful message to the rest of the country that we\u2019re not going to flinch or let anyone disrupt what we know to be true and that is that everyone belongs. This is a welcoming city and the best place for these types of awards.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"FormerFormer Tribune food reporter Ahmed Ali Akbar won his second James Beard media award in the Foodways category for his bean pie story, June 15, 2026. (E. Jason Wambsgans\/Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n

Though Potashnick was the only Chicago winner at the Restaurant and Chef awards on Monday, Chicago did get one other James Beard accolade this year. On Saturday, former Tribune reporter Ahmed Ali Akbar won a James Beard Foundation Media Award in the Foodways category, which celebrates culture and history in food journalism, for his story about bean pies and their significance to Black Muslims<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The full list of winners<\/p>\n

Emerging Chef:<\/strong> Adrian Torres of Maximo in West University Place, Texas<\/p>\n

Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker:<\/strong> Susan Bae of Moon Rabbit in Washington, D.C.<\/p>\n

Outstanding Bakery:<\/strong> Wild Crumb in Bozeman, Montana<\/p>\n

Best New Bar: <\/strong>Loma in Providence, Rhode Island<\/p>\n

Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service:<\/strong> Kevin Diedrich of Pacific Cocktail Haven in San Francisco, California<\/p>\n

Humanitarian of the Year Award:<\/strong> Oth\u00f3n Nolasko and Dami\u00e1n Diaz of the No Us Without You organization in Los Angeles<\/p>\n

Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program:<\/strong> Kato in Los Angeles<\/p>\n

Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service:<\/strong> Lee Campbell of Borgo in New York City<\/p>\n

Outstanding Bar:<\/strong> Scotch Lodge in Portland, Oregon<\/p>\n

Best Chef: Great Lakes:<\/strong> Jacob Potashnick of Feld in Chicago<\/p>\n

Best Chef: Southwest: <\/strong>Sarah Thompson of Casa Playa in Las Vegas<\/p>\n

Best Chef: Mountain: <\/strong>Penelope Wong of Yuan Wonton in Denver<\/p>\n

Best Chef: Northeast:<\/strong> Evan Hennessey of Stages in Dover, New Hampshire<\/p>\n

Best Chef: Northwest & Pacific:<\/strong> Ryan Roadhouse of Nodoguro in Portland<\/p>\n

Best Chef: Midwest:<\/strong> Loryn Nalic of Balkan Treat Box in Webster Groves, Missouri<\/p>\n

Best Chef: South: <\/strong>Serigne Mbaye of Dakar NOLA in New Orleans<\/p>\n

Best Chef: Texas: <\/strong>Evelyn Garcia and Henry Lu of J\u016aN in Houston<\/p>\n

Best Chef: New York State:<\/strong> Hooni Kim, Meju, Queens, NY<\/p>\n

Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic:<\/strong> Jesse Ito of Royal Sushi & Izakaya in Philadelphia<\/p>\n

Best Chef: Southeast: <\/strong>Taylor Montgomery of Montgomery Sky Farm in Leicester, North Carolina<\/p>\n

Best Chef: California: <\/strong>Dave Beran of Seline in Santa Monica, California<\/p>\n

Best New Restaurant: <\/strong>Lei in New York City<\/p>\n

Lifetime Achievement Award:<\/strong> Nancy Silverton<\/p>\n

Outstanding Hospitality:<\/strong> Providence in Los Angeles<\/p>\n

Outstanding Restaurateur:<\/strong> Dana Street of Fore Street, Scales, Standard Baking Co. and others in Portland, Maine<\/p>\n

Outstanding Restaurant:<\/strong> Kalaya in Philadelphia<\/p>\n

Outstanding Chef: <\/strong>Michael Tusk of Quince in San Francisco<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"At the 2026 James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards, the highest culinary honors in the United States, Jacob…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":870283,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[5124],"tags":[354169,291064,146597,960,87798,5386,1818,291065,14850,354168,354170,146624],"class_list":["post-870282","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-chicago","tag-2026-chicago-james-beard-winners","tag-bailey-sullivan","tag-carino","tag-chicago","tag-feld","tag-il","tag-illinois","tag-jacob-potashnick","tag-james-beard-foundation","tag-james-beard-restaurant-and-chef-awards","tag-monteverde-restaurant-pastificio","tag-norman-fenton"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/116757702574742966","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/870282","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=870282"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/870282\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/870283"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=870282"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=870282"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=870282"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}