The 2014 Eater Awards for Chicago

It is time now—drumroll, trumpets, gongs—to announce the winners of the 2014 Eater Awards. In over a dozen categories in 24 cities, the winners comprise a diverse group of the finest and most interesting chefs, operators, and characters in the continent that have defined this year in dining. We applaud them. You are hereby instructed to applaud them.

To recap, Eater's local editors in 24 cities nominated candidates for five major local categories: Restaurant of the Year, Chef of the Year, Bartender of the Year, So Hot Right Now Restaurant, and Stone Cold Stunner. Eater readers then voted to narrow the field to a final three in each category. From that final three, the Eater editorial team chose one to move forward and the Eater.com braintrust got together to decide the national winners. Without further ado, here's who came out on top in Chicago.

Eater Awards 2014

Restaurant of the Year

Nominees: Boka, Dusek's, Nico Osteria, Parachute, 42 Grams

Finalists: Boka, Nico Osteria, Parachute

Winner: Parachute

Chef of the Year

Nominees: Dave Beran (Next), Jake Bickelhaupt (42 Grams), Beverly Kim and Johnny Clark (Parachute), Thomas Lents (Sixteen), Lee Wolen (Boka)

Finalists: Lee Wolen, Beverly Kim and Johnny Clark, Jake Bickelhaupt

Winner: Lee Wolen

So Hot Right Now

Nominees: Bohemian House, Dove's Luncheonette, mfk, Momotaro, Tete Charcuterie

Finalists: Bohemian House, Momotaro, Tete Charcuterie

Winner: Momotaro

Bartender of the Year

Nominees: Alex Bachman (A10 and Billy Sunday), Robby Haynes and Henry Prendergast (Analogue), Charles Joly (The Aviary), Wade McElroy and Jeff Donahue (Sportsman's Club), Clint Rogers (The Dawson)

Finalists: Alex Bachman, Wade McElroy and Jeff Donahue, Clint Rogers

Winner: Wade McElroy and Jeff Donahue

Stone Cold Stunner

Nominees: Celeste, Momotaro, The Promontory, RPM Steak, Spiaggia

Finalists: Celeste, RPM Steak, Momotaro

Winner: Celeste

Saddest Closing of the Year

Winner: Hot Doug's