Here are Chicago's 2024 James Beard Award finalists

The 2024 Restaurant and Chef Awards finalists for the James Beard Awards, presented by Capital One, were announced today, April 3. Winners will be announced at the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards Ceremony on Monday, June 10, at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.

There were four finalists from Chicago/Illinois: Anna Posey of Elske in the West Loop, who is one of five names in the running for Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker. Representing Chicago's hospitality scene is Lula Cafe in Logan Square, nominated in the Outstanding Hospitality category.

In the highly competitive Best Chef in the Great Lakes Region category, covering Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio, Sujan Sarkar of Indienne in River North and Jenner Tomaska of Esme in Lincoln Park remain in the running.

Established in 1990 and first awarded in 1991, the James Beard Foundation’s Restaurant and Chef Awards are one of five separate recognition programs of the James Beard Awards. The awards recognize exceptional talent and achievement in the culinary arts, hospitality, media, and broader food system, as well as a demonstrated commitment to racial and gender equity, community, sustainability, and a culture where all can thrive.

The 2024 restaurant and chef finalists are recognized across 22 categories. The Beard Awards are a red-carpet, $500-a-ticket affair. They were first held in Chicago in 2015 and are set to stick around here through 2027. Learn more about the James Beard Awards policies and procedures here. To view all finalists, click here.