At the esteemed James Beard Awards ceremony held at the Lyric Opera House in Chicago, two local favorites rose above the competition to claim top honors in the culinary world. West Loop's Kumiko nabbed the award for Outstanding Bar, while Noah Sandoval of Oriole, despite his absence, earned the Best Chef: Great Lakes accolade, as reported by WBEZ . The James Beard Awards, now in their 35th year, celebrate the incredible talents of chefs and restaurateurs nationwide, and this year's gala saw five Chicago restaurants amongst the finalists.

In an impassioned speech, Kumiko's owner Julia Momosé highlighted the critical role of immigrants in the industry saying, "It's not right, and it doesn't feel right to stand here and celebrate an industry that has been built on the backs of immigrants," and described her establishment as a "team of immigrants," during the ceremony, information obtained from WBEZ . Additionally, Lincoln Park's Galit was Chicago’s sole finalist for Outstanding Restaurant; however, the award was secured by Frasca Food and Wine in Boulder, Colorado. Andrés Clavero of Galit referred to the nomination as “absolutely bonkers” and an unexpected honor for his team.

The announcement of the winners was highly anticipated, with chefs Thai Dang of HaiSous, Chris Jun, and Erling Wu-Bower of Maxwells Trading also contending for the accolade of Best Chef: Great Lakes, as detailed by CBS News Chicago . Enthusiasts could follow the event's proceedings, which started at 6 p.m., either in person or via a livestream hosted by Eater.

Other prominent awards at the ceremony included Phila Lorn of Mawn in Philadelphia who was honored with Emerging Chef, Minneapolis-based Bûcheron for Best New Restaurant and New York’s duo Lee Hanson and Riad Nasr for Outstanding Restaurateurs, amongst others Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson expressed during the red carpet festivities that Chicago was the unparalleled choice for such an august event, "There’s no better place to host this type of event than here in Chicago," Johnson said , optimism echoed by Kristen Reynolds, the new CEO of Choose Chicago, who felt confident that the James Beard Awards would continue to find a home in the city beyond their currently slated tenure till 2027.

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