The James Beard Foundation announced Wednesday the finalists vying for its coveted Restaurant and Chef awards, and among them are five Chicago chefs and restaurants, including first-time nominees Galit (@galit_restaurant) and Kumiko (@barkumiko). “I was just doing some cleaning and repair stuff, and then my phone started blowing up — I was like ‘What’s happening?!’” said Julia Momosé, Kumiko partner and creative director. “It’s really incredible.” Kumiko, a Japanese dining bar in the West Loop, was nominated for Outstanding Bar. Momosé, who has a staff of 18, said Kumiko’s first-ever semifinalist nomination in January was already a whirlwind. “When I first opened Kumiko, awards were always one of those things that I was hopeful for, that the work we were doing would be recognized, someday — but not necessarily that we existed to win the awards,” said Momosé, who won a James Beard Foundation Media Award in 2022 for her book “The Way of the Cocktail.” “We just wanted to exist and simply be a reflection of the heart and dedication and care and talent and passion for hospitality and for food and for beverage.” The James Beard Awards are considered to be among the nation’s most prestigious honors for the culinary industry. This year will also commemorate the 35th anniversary of the awards and celebrate what the foundation calls the “transformative role the awards have played in honoring culinary excellence and shaping the evolution of American food culture.” Along with Kumiko, local finalists include Galit for Outstanding Restaurant, and three Chicago finalists in the Best Chef: Great Lakes category, which encompasses Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio: Thai Dang of HaiSous (@haisouschicago); Chris Jung and Erling Wu-Bower of Maxwells Trading (@maxwellstrading) ; and Noah Sandoval of Oriole (@oriolechi). Tap on our bio link to read more. ----- Photo: Kumiko partner/creative director/mixologist Julia Momose is a James Beard Foundation nominee in the Outstanding Bar category. ? Zareen Syed / Chicago Tribune ?️ Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune
April 3, 2025
The James Beard Foundation announced Wednesday the finalists vying for its coveted Restaurant and Chef awards, and among them are five Chicago chefs and restaurants, including first-time nominees Galit (@galit_restaurant) and Kumiko (@barkumiko).
“I was just doing some cleaning and repair stuff, and then my phone started blowing up — I was like ‘What’s happening?!’” said Julia Momosé, Kumiko partner and creative director. “It’s really incredible.”
Kumiko, a Japanese dining bar in the West Loop, was nominated for Outstanding Bar. Momosé, who has a staff of 18, said Kumiko’s first-ever semifinalist nomination in January was already a whirlwind.
“When I first opened Kumiko, awards were always one of those things that I was hopeful for, that the work we were doing would be recognized, someday — but not necessarily that we existed to win the awards,” said Momosé, who won a James Beard Foundation Media Award in 2022 for her book “The Way of the Cocktail.” “We just wanted to exist and simply be a reflection of the heart and dedication and care and talent and passion for hospitality and for food and for beverage.”
The James Beard Awards are considered to be among the nation’s most prestigious honors for the culinary industry. This year will also commemorate the 35th anniversary of the awards and celebrate what the foundation calls the “transformative role the awards have played in honoring culinary excellence and shaping the evolution of American food culture.”
Along with Kumiko, local finalists include Galit for Outstanding Restaurant, and three Chicago finalists in the Best Chef: Great Lakes category, which encompasses Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio: Thai Dang of HaiSous (@haisouschicago); Chris Jung and Erling Wu-Bower of Maxwells Trading (@maxwellstrading) ; and Noah Sandoval of Oriole (@oriolechi).
Tap on our bio link to read more.
-----
Photo: Kumiko partner/creative director/mixologist Julia Momose is a James Beard Foundation nominee in the Outstanding Bar category.
? Zareen Syed / Chicago Tribune
?️ Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune
“I was just doing some cleaning and repair stuff, and then my phone started blowing up — I was like ‘What’s happening?!’” said Julia Momosé, Kumiko partner and creative director. “It’s really incredible.”
Kumiko, a Japanese dining bar in the West Loop, was nominated for Outstanding Bar. Momosé, who has a staff of 18, said Kumiko’s first-ever semifinalist nomination in January was already a whirlwind.
“When I first opened Kumiko, awards were always one of those things that I was hopeful for, that the work we were doing would be recognized, someday — but not necessarily that we existed to win the awards,” said Momosé, who won a James Beard Foundation Media Award in 2022 for her book “The Way of the Cocktail.” “We just wanted to exist and simply be a reflection of the heart and dedication and care and talent and passion for hospitality and for food and for beverage.”
The James Beard Awards are considered to be among the nation’s most prestigious honors for the culinary industry. This year will also commemorate the 35th anniversary of the awards and celebrate what the foundation calls the “transformative role the awards have played in honoring culinary excellence and shaping the evolution of American food culture.”
Along with Kumiko, local finalists include Galit for Outstanding Restaurant, and three Chicago finalists in the Best Chef: Great Lakes category, which encompasses Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio: Thai Dang of HaiSous (@haisouschicago); Chris Jung and Erling Wu-Bower of Maxwells Trading (@maxwellstrading) ; and Noah Sandoval of Oriole (@oriolechi).
Tap on our bio link to read more.
-----
Photo: Kumiko partner/creative director/mixologist Julia Momose is a James Beard Foundation nominee in the Outstanding Bar category.
? Zareen Syed / Chicago Tribune
?️ Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune
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