Jean Banchet 2013 Award Nominees

The nominees for the 2013 Jean Banchet Award for Culinary Excellence, the only Chicago-based awards presentation recognizing outstanding talent in the city's culinary community, were announced today. Awards will be presented during the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation's 17th Annual Grand Chefs Gala Jan. 31, 2014  at the Fairmont Hotel and Resort. Nominees are listed below. grandchefsgala

The 2013 Jean Banchet nominees are as follows:

Chef of the Year: Curtis Duffy (Grace), Carrie Nahabedian (NAHA), Paul Virant (Vie/Perennial Virant), Andrew Zimmerman (Sepia)

Pastry Chef of the Year: Lisa Bonjour (mk), Craig Harzewski (NAHA), Elissa Narow (Vie/Perennial Virant), Leigh Omilinsky (Cafe des Architectes)

Best Chef-de-Cuisine:  Ali Ratcliffe-Bauer (Brindille), Andres Padilla (Topolobampo), Sean Pharr (NoMI Kitchen), Nicholas Romero (Grace)

Rising Chef of the Year: Thai Dang (Embeya), Nicole Pederson (Found), Tom Van Lente (TWO), Lee Wolen (formerly of Lobby Restaurant at the Peninsula Chicago)

Rising Pastry Chef of the Year: Dana Cree (Blackbird), Sarah Mispagel (Nightwood), Thomas Raquel (Acadia), Bobby Schaffer (Grace)

Best Sommelier:  Valerie Cao (Grace), Chad Ellegood (NoMI Kitchen), Richard Hanauer (The Langham), Arthur Hon (Sepia)

Best Mixologist: Charles Joly (The Aviary), Paul McGee (Three Dots and a Dash), Danielle Pizzutillo (Embeya), Sergio Serna (The Drawing Room)

Best Restaurant Design: Balena, Boarding House, Brindille, Embeya

Best Restaurant Service: Balena, Grace, Nightwood, Sixteen

Best New Restaurant: Fat Rice, Found, Gather, Travelle, TWO

Restaurant of the Year: Acadia, Brindille, Embeya, Grace