The 2024 Banchet Awards for culinary excellence (Chicago’s best local food awards) were announced early Monday.

The annual awards, named in honor of the legendary chef who ran Wheeling’s Le Francais restaurant in the 1970s and ’80s, recognize innovators in the Chicago area’s restaurant scene. The award recipients will be announced at a gala event to be held on January 26 at Venue SIX10.

“I think Banchets is a testament to the innovation of this city’s restaurant scene. It is world class. It’s first class. “Coming together once a year is a reminder of how vibrant and exciting our industry is, as well as the decades of innovation that got us here,” said Michael Muser, co-owner of Michelin-starred restaurant Ever and organizer of the event. award event of this year.

Here is the list of this year’s nominees:

competing for Best Restaurant laurel are:

• Pioneer of Midwestern-Mediterranean fusion Avec
• West Loop Argentina mainstay El Che Steakhouse and Bar
• Danish-American modern seasonal tableau elske
• In Joe Flamm’s own words, “Food to drink in the Adriatic” Rosemary at Fulton Market

2025 finalists Best New Restaurant (open less than two years):

Courtesy of Sandy Noto/John’s Food and Wine

Additional candidates 2025 Banchet Awards include:

Best Heritage Restaurant

• stumara
• Spirit and Smoke
• New Village Gastro Pub and Karaoke
• Ocean Grill & Bar

Best Neighborhood Restaurant

• Bungalow in Middle Brow
• Daisy’s Po-Boy and Tavern
• Kie-Gol-Lanee
• Le Bouchon

Rising Chef of the Year

• John Dahlstrom, Nettare
• Madalyn Durrant, Bar Parisette
• Mike Satinover, Akahoshi Ramen
• Chris Jung, Maxwells Trading

Bar of the Year

Best Counter Service

• Migos Quality Foods
• from raga
• Santa Masa Tamaleria
• JP Graziano Grocery Store

Sommelier of the Year

• Jelena Prodan; SKY, Valhalla, Apolonia
• Kat Hawkins; Miru, Tre Dita, St. Regis Bar
• Patti Robison, Acanto
• Scott Stroemer, Galit

• Brindille
• Dear Margaret
• Jeong
• Anelya

Best Design

• Brasero
• Tre Dita
• Bazaar Meat
• Perilla Steakhouse

Pastry Chef of the Year

• Bo Durham, Mindy’s Bakery
• TC Lumbar, Elske
• Antonio Incandela, Mariscos San Pedro
• Sarah Mispagel-Lustbader and Ben Lustbader, Loaf Lounge

Its local Banchet awards were joined by the national James Beard Awards for culinary excellence when it moved its home base to Chicago in 2015. Both awards shed a unique light on the dining scene here.

“The Jean Banchet Awards will stay in Chicago forever. We hope we can boast that the James Beard Awards are here to stay this long, too. We hope the Beards know how pleased we are to have their show in Chicago,” Muser said.

Credit: Miriam Di Nunzio, Sun-Times