2006 Jean Banchet Awards for Culinary Excellence

[ronnie_suburban]

Better late than never, here is a list of the 2006 winners, who received their awards back on February 4:

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Celebrity chef: Roland Liccioni, Le Francais, Wheeling

Celebrity pastry chef: Mindy Segal, Hot Chocolate

Rising chef: Paul Virant, Vie, Western Springs

Rising pastry chef: Tara Lane, Blackbird

Best neighborhood restaurant: Lula Cafe, Amalea Tshilds and Jason Hammel

Best fine dining: Avenues, Graham Elliot Bowles

Best sommelier: Scott Tyree, Tru

Best catering company: Calihan Catering

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That's an impressive roster, populated by some seriously talented folks. Congrats to all the award recipients.

=R=

[ulterior epicure]

wow - that is an impressive crowd. i've had the fortune of trying creations from all of the winners except lulu's and calihan catering... all truly deserving winners!

i have never heard of this award - is this a first annual, or has it been a long tradition that i'm just clueless about?

[ronnie_suburban]

I'm not sure when the awards were started but there were also results in 2005.

Edit to add: click here for the list of last year's winners which seems to indicate that it may have been the inaugural year.

=R=

[ulterior epicure]

In the interest of streamlining thread-start-ups, I've taken the liberty to move ron's comments from last year's Jean Banchet Awards over here for comment.

From Phil Vettel in the February 9 edition of the Chicago Tribune:

McClain, owner of Green Zebra and Spring restaurants, was named the area's top celebrity chef; Pluton's Near North restaurant, Pluton, won for best fine dining.

. . . and from Deborah Pankey, food editor at the Suburban Daily Herald:

Trio Atelier's Mary McMahon won Rising Pastry Chef Honors and Martial Noguier of 160blue was named Rising Chef at the fourth annual Jean Banchet Awards for Culinary Excellence presented Friday night at the Fairmont Chicago.  

"Personally I think accolades are very nice, and professionally you have to look at what it does for the restaurant," said McMahon, who has been with the acclaimed Evanston restaurant since it evolved into Trio Atelier last year.

=R=

←

1. What ever happened to Jacky Pluton's multi-faceted and established career? I heard that he departed from Nara (in Omni Orrington Hotel - or whatever it's called now) although he still has his original eponymous restaurant in that Evanston?

2. Anyone have a clue as to where McMahon is off to next?

Re: this year's award recipients.

I've had the pleasure of enjoying P. Virant's cooking once - at a charity benefit. He prepared the amuse, so I'm sure that it's not representative of his skills or creativity. I've been really curious as to what he's doing out at Vie in Western Springs (a little far off for me when I pass through Chicago on short stays - but would be willing to make a pilgrimage giving the right prompting). Any eGer's out there who have recent experiences to share?

U.E.

Edited February 15, 2006 by ulterior epicure (log)

[ronnie_suburban]

Western Springs is on the other side of the Chicagoland universe for me (which is the only reason I haven't been to Vie), but I did taste a very nice Duck with Cherries amuse prepared by chef Virant at the Recipe for Relief event last October.

I have a friend who lives very near Vie and has eaten there a number of times. I know he likes it there (why else would he return?) but I can't provide any more details than that. But, here's a link to a thread about Vie:

Vie Restaurant - Western Springs, IL, An undiscussed gem

=R=

[ulterior epicure]

Western Springs is on the other side of the Chicagoland universe for me (which is the only reason I haven't been to Vie), but I did taste a very nice Duck with Cherries amuse prepared by chef Virant at the Recipe for Relief event last October.

I missed out on the duck and cherries. I was referring to his smoked sturgeon with fennel, pickled asparagus, dill, fingerling potatoe with caviar and cream amuse at the Share Our Strength charity dinner at one sixtyblue last May.

[Edited to enable link.]

Edited February 15, 2006 by ulterior epicure (log)

[joiei]

Jean Blanchet awards info

here is some info on the awards. I had never heard of them either.

[ronnie_suburban]

Jean Blanchet awards info

here is some info on the awards.  I had never heard of them either.

←

Thanks, joiei. From the link you provided, it appears that this year's round was the 3rd annual.

=R=

[LAZ]

2007 Jean Banchet Awards for Culinary Excellence

Grant Achatz of Alinea, Celebrity Chef of the Year

Elissa Narow of Custom House, Celebrity Pastry Chef

Michael Carlson of Schwa, Rising Chef

Suzanne Imaz of NoMi, Rising Pastry Chef

Craig Sindelar of Alinea, Best Sommelier

Alinea, Best Fine Dining

Le Bouchon, Best Neighborhood Restaurant

Designed Cuisine, Best Catering Company

The awards were presented Friday, Feb. 2, during the Grand Chefs' Gala, a benefit for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, at the Fairmont Chicago. Except for the catering, nominations came from assorted local food media, with final voting by local chefs and restaurateurs. Banchet did not attend; he's in France for Paul Bocuse's birthday. Dominique Tougne passed out the awards.