The James Beard Awards Recap

Last night I had the pleasure of attending the James Beard Awards. Often referred to as the Oscars of the food world, the awards recognize the best chefs, restaurants, restauranteurs, and culinary professionals in the industry. The 25th awards left New York City for the first time, and came to Chicago where they will remain for the next two years. To say that Chicagoans were excited, is an understatement. Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel mentioned the James Beard Awards’ relocation to Chicago in several speeches crediting the city for becoming one of the culinary centers of the world.

In case you didn’t join the festivities at the Lyric Opera House last night, I am recapping some of my favorite moments.

1. Chicago was so excited about the awards, that it seemed everyone threw a party. Last weekend was packed with events welcoming the award to Chicago. I made the rounds attending Art Smith’s Queers for Beard, the Chicago Food + Wine Festival party at The Purple Pig,the Tiki Party at 3 Dots and a Dash, and the official welcome party for the James Beard Awards.

2. The James Beard Awards really are a black tie affair. Considering that chefs don’t tend to dress up very often, I thought that there might be a lot of more creative black tie ensembles, but the vast majority of the women wore floor length gowns and the men wore tuxes. Definitely something to consider if you plan to attend the awards next year. (Huge thanks to my friend Beth for being my date!)

3. Another thing to consider- packing a snack in your purse. While food and drinks prepared by past James Beard winners is served at the gala after the awards, the awards ran from 6:30-11. So don’t arrive hungry.

4. While the awards were long, they didn’t seem to drag. Alton Brown was a fun and capable host who moved things along. A series of videos showcasing the winners in the America’s Classic category. “The America’s Classic award is given to restaurants with timeless appeal, each beloved in its region for quality food that reflects the character of its community. Establishments must have been in existence for at least ten years and be locally owned.” The videos were charming tributes to the restaurants and they were a nice change of pace. A comedy short called the Kitchen Whisperer hilariously featured Chicago’s star chefs all claiming to owe their success to a young man who gave them their best ideas. The video ended with all the chefs begging for Doug Sohn to reopen Hot Doug’s.

5. Richard Melman the owner of Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises (and over 110 restaurants, including Beatrix, Stella Barra, Paris Club, and Summer House Santa Monica), who received the Lifetime Achievement Award gave a speech peppered with life advice. Here are some snippets:

“There is no good deal with a bad person, and no bad deal with a good person.”
“Most of life’s unhappiness is a result of comparing yourself to others. I want to be the best I can be.”
“There is never a time when I don’t hustle.”

(photo from my Paris Club post)

6. Sadly, the Maine nominees went home empty handed. It was an anticlimactic end to what was a huge year for Maine. Maine chefs and restaurants received a record ten nominations, and four moved on to become semi-finalists. When I spoke with Chef Cara Stadler, a nominee for the Rising Star Award, she was optimistic that her year will come. At just 27 years old, she is eligible for the award for two more years.

7. Chicago picked up four awards and the crowd loved it. A particularly major moment was when Donnie Madia of One Off Hospitality Group (Avec, Blackbird, Big Star, Dove’s Luncheonette, Nico Osteria The Publican, The Violet Hour) won Outstanding Restaurateur. Chicago’s favorite cocktail lounge The Violet Hour took home the award for Outstanding Bar Program, the Bureau of Architecture and Design won the Outstanding Restaurant Design Award for a restaurant 75 seats and under, and Richard Melman received the Lifetime Achievement Award. (photo from mu Publican post)

8. The entire city of Chicago won last night. Chicago welcomed the James Beard Awards with enthusiasm, and several winners mentioned Chicago’s friendliness and hospitality in their speeches. To top things off, both the Mayor and the Governor presented awards, showing how important the awards are to the city and state.

9. After the awards, it was time to eat! The gala featured twenty recent James Beard winners who prepared dishes expressing their signature style. The food was just as wonderful as you would hope, and the variety was incredible. I loved Vikram Sunderam’s (Rasika) Avocado Puri, David Beran’s (NEXT) Roast Chicken with Egg and Thyme, Ashley Christensen’s (Poole’s Diner) Pastrami-Cured Fried Bologna, Derin Moore’s Beef Tenderloin with Taleggio and Caramelized Onions,

Nancy Silverton’s (Mozza Restaurant Group) Roasted Carrots with Ceci and Cumin Vinaigrette,

David Posey’s (Taste of Waldorf Astoria) Celery Root Risotto alls Waldorf,

and Gale Gand’s Butterscotch Spoonfuls. The cocktails were wonderful as well – I sipped on a strawberry citrus cocktail and then a French 75.

10. Then there were the after parties. I joined friends a Ramen-san, a Lettuce Entertain You restaurant that was celebrating Richard Melman’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

Being a food blogger usually involves wearing yoga pants, preparing food, climbing on furniture while photographing the food, and hours spent at the computer writing. It is a very solitary job, which is why the past few days were such a treat. I loved getting dressed up and being surrounded by people who are passionate about food.

Wondering what I was wearing? Here’s a look courtesy of the Lexis video booth:

Attending the James Beard Awards was an incredible and inspiring experience and I am thrilled that our city is hosting for the next two years.