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El Ideas, Formento's Each Earn 3 Jean Banchet Award 2015 Nominations

Boka Restaurant Group also receives big recognition.

Carrie Nahabedian
Carrie Nahabedian
Facebook

November means it's awards time again, and this morning the nominations for the Jean Banchet Awards for Culinary Excellence were revealed. The winners in the 13 categories will be named on Jan. 17, and they're named for the late-Jean Banchet who died in 2013 and was known for his suburban Wheeling restaurant, Le Francais.

El Ideas and Formento's scored the most nominations with three each. El Ideas' Phillip Foss earned a chef of the year nod, and his restaurant received nominations for restaurant of the year and best restaurant service. Formento's is also up for best restaurant service, and the West Loop Italian spot's Tony Quartaro was nominated for best chef de cuisine, while Steve Morgan earned a nomination for best sommelier. Boka Restaurant Group also cleaned up, as the group's restaurants received nominations in four categories, including Meg Galus for pastry chef of the year at their flagship spot.

The Banchets added two new awards: Best ethnic restaurant, while Carrie Nahebedian will take home the inaugural Banchet Culinary Achievement Award. Check out the full list below.

2015 Jean Banchet Nominees

Restaurant of the Year: El Ideas, Fat Rice, Intro, Parachute

Chef of the Year: Abraham Conlon (Fat Rice), Phillip Foss (El Ideas), Tony Mantuano (Spiaggia), Chris Pandel (Bristol/Balena)

Pastry Chef of the Year: Lisa Bonjour (mK), Meg Galus (Boka), Sandra Holl (Floriole), Chris Teixeira (West Town Bakery)

Best Chef-de-Cuisine: Dennis Bernard (Dove's Luncheonette), David Fingerman (Graham Elliot Bistro), Ed Sura (Perennial Virant), Tony Quartaro (Formento's)

Rising Chef of the Year: Ashlee Aubin (Salero), Beverly Kim and Johnny Clark (Parachute), Thomas Rice and Kurt Guzowski (TÊTE Charcuterie), Jason Vaughan (Pub Royale)

Rising Pastry Chef of the Year: Angela Diaz (Owen and Engine), Marjorie Easley (The Blanchard), Aya Fukai (Sixteen), Kelly Helgesen (Lula Café)

Best Sommelier: Nathan Adams (Boeufhaus), Jill Gubesch (Topolobampo/Frontera Grill), Elizabeth Mendez (Vera), Steve Morgan (Formento's)

Best Mixologist: Jacyara De Oliveira (Sportsman's Club), Dustin Drankiewicz (The Promontory/Dusek's/Punch House), Jason Lerner (Masa Azul), Liz Pearce (The Drifter)

Best Restaurant Design: 3 Arts Club, Cherry Circle Room, Fulton Market Kitchen, Swift & Sons

Best Restaurant Service: Boka, Billy Sunday, El Ideas, Formento's

Best New Restaurant: Boeufhaus; The Blanchard; Bom Bolla; Momotaro

Best Neighborhood Restaurant: mfk., Osteria Langhe, The Radler, Three Aces

Best Ethnic Restaurant: Andy's Thai Kitchen, Furious Spoon, Shokran, Birrieria Zaragoza

Banchet Culinary Achievement Award: Carrie Nahabedian of Naha and Brindille.

Dusek's

1227 W 18th Street, Chicago, IL

Perennial

1800 North Lincoln Avenue, Chicago, IL 60614 Visit Website

Brindille

534 North Clark Street, , IL 60654 (312) 595-1616 Visit Website

Parachute

3500 North Elston Avenue, , IL 60618 (872) 204-7138 Visit Website

Formento's

925 West Randolph Street, , IL 60607 (312) 690-7295 Visit Website

Punch House

1227 West 18th Street, , IL 60608 (312) 526-3851 Visit Website

Fulton Market Kitchen

311 North Sangamon Street, , IL 60607 (312) 733-6900 Visit Website

Bom Bolla

1501 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60622 (773) 698-6601 Visit Website

Andy's Thai Kitchen

950 West Diversey Parkway, , IL 60614 (773) 549-7821 Visit Website

Three Aces

1320 W Taylor Street, Chicago, IL 60607 312 243 1577 Visit Website

Tête Charcuterie

1114 W Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60607 312 733 1178 Visit Website

Promontory

1539 E. 53 Street, Chicago, IL 60615 773 276 3600

Osteria Langhe

2824 West Armitage Avenue, , IL 60647 (773) 661-1582 Visit Website

Salero

621 W Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60661 (312) 466-1000 Visit Website

Momotaro

820 West Lake Street, , IL 60607 (312) 733-4818 Visit Website

Boeufhaus

1012 North Western Avenue, , IL 60622 (773) 661-2116 Visit Website

Pub Royale

2049 West Division Street, , IL 60622 (773) 661-6874 Visit Website

The Blanchard

1935 North Lincoln Park West, , IL 60614 (872) 829-3971 Visit Website

Boka

1729 North Halsted Street, , IL 60614 (312) 337-6070 Visit Website

Spiaggia

980 North Michigan Avenue, , IL 60611 (312) 280-2750 Visit Website

Fat Rice

2957 West Diversey Avenue, , IL 60647 (773) 661-9170 Visit Website

West Town Bakery & Diner

1916 West Chicago Avenue, , IL 60622 (773) 904-1414 Visit Website

Graham Elliot

217 W Huron Street, Chicago, IL 60654 312 624 9975 Visit Website

Vera

1023 W Lake Street, Chicago, IL Visit Website

mk The Restaurant

868 N Franklin Street, Chicago, IL 60610 312 482 9179 Visit Website

Billy Sunday

3143 West Logan Boulevard, , IL 60647 (773) 661-2485 Visit Website

Topolobampo

445 North Clark Street, , IL 60654 (312) 661-1434 Visit Website

Furious Spoon

1571 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60622 (773) 687-8445

EL ideas

2419 West 14th Street, , IL 60608 (312) 226-8144 Visit Website

Cherry Circle Room

12 South Michigan Avenue, , IL 60603 (312) 792-3515 Visit Website

NAHA

500 North Clark Street, , IL 60654 (312) 321-6242 Visit Website

Balena

1633 North Halsted Street, , IL 60614 (312) 867-3888 Visit Website

Sixteen

401 North Wabash Avenue, , IL 60611 (312) 588-8030 Visit Website

The Radler

2375 North Milwaukee Avenue, , IL 60647 (773) 276-0270 Visit Website

Sportsman's Club

948 North Western Avenue, , IL 60622 (872) 206-8054 Visit Website

Dove's Luncheonette

1545 North Damen Avenue, , IL 60622 (773) 645-4060 Visit Website

Birrieria Zaragoza

4852 South Pulaski Road, , IL 60632 (773) 523-3700 Visit Website

Shokran Morrocan Grill

4027 W Irving Park Rd, Chicago, IL 60641 (773) 427-9130 Visit Website

3 Arts Club Cafe

1300 North Dearborn Street, , IL 60610 (312) 475-9116 Visit Website

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