BY DEMI BOUZANIS| @demibouzz
The Jean Banchets, in Chicago held Sunday, announced Indienne as Best New Restaurant!
The attendees were dressed to impress, photos are in the end of the article! Find yourself and tag us @demibouzz & #Banchet2024
The Banchet Awards for Culinary returned on January 28th 2024, celebrating Chicago's restaurant and hospitality industries with charitable partner Chicago Chefs Cook, humanitarian organization, led by Chef Sarah Stegner, Eda Davidman, Darren Gest, Jodi Fyfe and Melissa Clarke. The prestigious awards ceremony unfolded in the lavish setting of SIX10, an opulent venue that added an extra layer of grandeur to the event. Host of the night was hospitality veteran Michael Muser of two-star MICHELIN restaurant Ever and cocktail lounge After. As he sprinkled humor throughout the show, his substantial comedic moment surfaced solely during the opening monologue. "Top 10 Ways to Tell if Your Restaurant Employee is High on the Job."
Our favorite was:
"The host thinks it's funny to have a mysterious dinner rush at 4:20 every day"
There were 12 distinct categories, representing the current year's best class in Chicago, including awards for chefs, heritage restaurants, sommeliers, bars, rising stars, restaurant design, hospitality and more.
Beautiful Aprons by CHEFtog, cut sewn and assembled in the USA! See more on their instagram @cheftog
Chicago Chefs Cook, have contributed to the community and have has raised more than $1 million for numerous charitable causes both internationally and locally. The chosen beneficiary for the Chicago Chefs Cook event was the Virtue Leadership Development Program, led by Erick Williams, a recipient of both James Beard and Jean Banchet awards.
“Our Chicago chef’s community is remarkably generous and Chef Erick Williams represents the best of that spirit. We are thrilled to select the Virtue Leadership Development program as this year’s charity recipient and continue to support wonderful causes that champion the local culinary community of Chicago.” says Chef Sarah Stegner of Chicago Chefs Cook.
The night kicked off with a VIP Champagne Reception and then the doors opened to the general admission. Presenters for the evening’s awards include Chicago industry legends like Jason Hammel (Lula Café) and James Beard Award-winning Carrie Nahabedian (Brindille), TV stars like Netflix’s ‘School of Chocolate’ winner Juan Gutierrez (The St. Regis), industry podcast hosts Tim Tierney and Danny Shapiro of the Joiners Podcast, iconic restaurant figures like “Chicago’s Breakfast Queen” Ina Pinkney and Gary Obligacion (The Alinea Group) and many more.
A big congratulations to all the nominees and winners of the night! They are all exceptional!
After the ceremony, attendees danced their way to the after-party celebration, where they enjoyed a live performance by the eight-piece jazz band, Rick King’s Royal Hustle. The after-party showcased 14 chef stations, each highlighting the diverse and delectable flavors of the city, featuring specially curated bites from some of Chicago's most renowned restaurants, including Monteverde, Demera, Avec, Jaleo, Ina Mae Tavern, Frontier, Avli on The Park, Soul & Smoke, Eden, Cariño, Kindling, Stan's, Mercat a la Planxa, Reunion and The Evolved Network.
The Banchet Awards are named for Jean Banchet—the legendary Chicago chef, who helped leverage our city’s reputation as a world-class fine dining destination in the 1970s and ‘80s. Jean Banchet’s Wheeling restaurant, Le Francais, was declared America’s best restaurant in 1980 by Bon Appetit magazine.
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