Chicago has hosted the James Beard Foundation Awards — aka the “Oscars of the food world” — since 2014, aside from a two-year hiatus in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and a swirl of controversy. But in 2022, the Beards came back, and Chicago’s restaurants and chefs are once again among elite company, cultivated throughout the years by the prestigious awards.
The following is a map of all Chicago-area JBA recipients from the past 15 years — at least those that are still open. This latest update adds 2022 Best Chef: Great Lakes Erick Williams, chef and owner at Virtue.
Disclosure: Some Vox Media staff members are part of the voting body for the James Beard Awards.
For updated information on coronavirus cases, please visit the city of Chicago’s COVID-19 dashboard. Health experts consider dining out to be a high-risk activity for the unvaccinated; it may pose a risk for the vaccinated, especially in areas with substantial COVID transmission. The latest CDC guidance is here; find a COVID-19 vaccination site here.
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