The 2017 James Beard Award Nominees for Restaurant and Chef Categories

The James Beard Foundation is proud to announce the nominees for the 2017 James Beard Foundation Awards.

Winners of the 2017 James Beard Awards for the following nominees will be announced at the James Beard Awards Gala at the Lyric Opera of Chicago on Monday, May 1, 2017. A gala reception will immediately follow, featuring top chefs and beverage professionals from across the country.

Congratulations to all the nominees, especially those from the Midwest.

Outstanding Baker
Greg Wade
Publican Quality Bread
Chicago

Outstanding Restaurant
Topolobampo
Chicago

Outstanding Restaurateur
Kevin Boehm and Rob Katz
Boka Restaurant Group (Boka, Girl & the Goat, Momotaro, and others)
Chicago

Rising Star Chef of the Year
Jenner Tomaska
Next
Chicago

Best Chefs in America
Chefs who have set new or consistent standards of excellence in their respective regions. Eligible candidates may be from any kind of dining establishment and must have been working as a chef for at least five years, with the three most recent years spent in the region.

Best Chef: Great Lakes (IL, IN, MI, OH)
Abraham Conlon
Fat Rice
Chicago

Sarah Grueneberg
Monteverde
Chicago

Beverly Kim and Johnny Clark
Parachute
Chicago

Lee Wolen
Boka
Chicago

Erling Wu-Bower
Nico Osteria
Chicago


Best Chef: Midwest (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD, WI)
Steven Brown
Tilia
Minneapolis

Justin Carlisle
Ardent
Milwaukee

Jorge Guzman
Brewer’s Table at Surly Brewing Co.
Minneapolis

Kevin Nashan
Sidney Street Cafe
St. Louis

Kevin Willmann
Farmhaus
St. Louis

Read the full list of nominees at Hotel Online News.