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Parachute, Donnie Madia, Dana Cree, Tanya Baker Among James Beard Award Finalists

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The Violet Hour, Brindille, Topolobampo, and Curtis Duffy also moved on.

In the year that the James Beard Awards ceremony will take place in Chicago, multiple restaurants, chefs, and restaurateurs will represent the Windy City as finalists. Eater Chicago restaurant of the year Parachute is a finalist for Best New Restaurant; One Off Hospitality's Donnie Madia is again a finalist for Outstanding Restaurateur; Blackbird's Dana Cree is a finalist for Outstanding Pastry Chef; and The Boarding House chef Tanya Baker moved on to the finals in the Rising Star Chef of the Year category.

Also, The Violet Hour is once again a finalist for Outstanding Bar Program; Carrie Nahabedian's Brindille is a finalist in the Best Restaurant Design, 75 seats and under category (Nahabedian did not move on to the finals for Outstanding Chef); and Topolobampo is again a finalist for Outstanding Service. Four of the five chefs in the Best Chef: Great Lakes category are from the Chicago area: Curtis Duffy (Grace), Erling Wu-Bower (Nico Osteria), Andrew Zimmerman (Sepia), and Paul Virant (Vie). And as previously reported, Rich Melman will be honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award.

In addition to the Restaurant and Chef Awards, Chicagoans also nabbed two finals appearances in the media and journalism categories. Steve Dolinsky's The Hungry Hound is a finalist for Best Television Segment, and The Reader's Mike Sula for his "What Happens When All-Star Chefs Get in Bed with Big Food?" story. Eater picked up five nominations, and Eater National has the full list of finalists right here.

In addition to Carrie Nahabedian, 42 Grams, the Boka Group, Spiaggia, Dave and Megan Miller (Baker Miller), and Charles Joly are among semifinalists who did not move on. The Restaurant and Chef Awards ceremony will take place on May 4 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.

Brindille

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

Nico Osteria

1015 North Rush Street, , IL 60611 (312) 994-7100 Visit Website

Parachute

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

Grace

652 W. Randolph Street, Chicago, IL 60661 (817) 877-3388

Sepia

123 North Jefferson Street, , IL 60661 (312) 441-1920 Visit Website

Blackbird

614 North 2nd Street, , PA 19123 (267) 324-5224 Visit Website

The Boarding House

720 North Wells Street, , IL 60654 (312) 280-0720 Visit Website

Topolobampo

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

The Violet Hour

1520 North Damen Avenue, , IL 60622 (773) 252-1500 Visit Website

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