The prestigious James Beard Foundation Awards are coming to Chicago.
The 25th installment of the award ceremony that honors top names in the culinary world is scheduled to take place at the Lyric Opera of Chicago on May 4 of next year, according to a Mayor’s Office press release. It is the first time in its history that the ceremony will be hosted outside of New York City.
“There is no greater honor for a restaurant than recognition with a Beard Foundation award, and there is no greater honor for Chicago’s culinary community than the decision to host the awards here,” Mayor Rahm Emanuel said in the release.
Chicago chefs credited with the esteemed “outstanding chef” title by the James Beard Foundation, according to the Chicago Tribune, include Grant Achatz, Charlie Trotter, Rick Bayless and Paul Kahan.
-Tom Butala