18th Annual Green City Market Chef BBQ: Brings 100+ Chicago Restaurants with Chefs & Mixologists to Lincoln Park

One of Chicago's greatest events is almost upon us- the Green City Market Chef BBQ will bring in over 100 of Chicago's best restaurants, showing off their Top Chefs and Mixologists to provide tastes of local, sustainable heirloom produce and heritage meats from Green City Market Farmers. This will take place tomorrow, July 19, from 5:30-8PM at the usual spot, south end of Lincoln Park (1817 N Clark St). Tickets for this event can be purchased for $125 each here. 

Some of the featured restaurants include Bad Hunter, bellyQ, Frontera Grill, Longman & Eagle, Parachute, Honey Butter Fried Chicken, Big Jones, The Publican, while some of the beverage purveyors involved include Begyle Brewing, Half Acre, Koval, Revolution, Sparrow Coffee.

Proceeds from this event supports the Green City Market's year round market and community programs. 

Chicago Semifinalists for James Beard Awards

The Semifinalists for the James Beard Foundation Awards 2010 have been announced and the list is littered with Chicago establishments and professionals.  It's always exciting to see how well Chicago does with these awards and to bask in the fame that is given to our culinary scene. 

Now for those of you who don't know, the James Beard Awards are a BIG deal.  They've been called "The Oscars of the food world," by Time magazine.  They are named after one of the biggest names in American culinary history, Mr. James Beard.  Mr. Beard was born in Portland, Oregon, in 1903.  His mother ran a boarding house and began an 81 year culinary journey into American food.  He was dubbed "dean of American cookery," by the New York Times.

Now let's get to our Chicago nominees:

• Outstanding Restauranteur: Donald J. Madia (Avec, Big Star, Blackbird, The Publican, The Violet Hour) and Richard Melman (LEYE).


• Outstanding Chef: Jean Joho (Everest) and Paul Kahan (Blackbird)


• Outstanding Restaurant: Les Nomades and Spiaggia


• Best New Restaurant: Cibo Matto at the Wit and Pelago at Raffaello Hotel


• Outstanding Pastry Chef: Mindy Segal (Hot Chocolate)


• Outstanding Wine Service: Alinea and NoMI at Park Hyatt


• Outstanding Wine and Spirit Professional: Brian Duncan (BIN36) and Alpana Singh (LEYE)


• Outstanding Service: Alinea and Spiaggia


• Best Chef, Great Lakes: Michael Carlson (Schwa), Curtis Duffy (Avenues at Peninsula), Koren Grieveson (Avec), Bill Kim (Urbanbelly), Chris Nugent (Les Nomades), Arun Sampanthavivat (Arun's), Bruce Sherman (North Pond) and Giuseppe Tentori (Boka)

The finalists will be announced on March 22nd at the Palace Cafe in New Orleans leading up to the Media Awards presented May 2nd and the James Beard Foundation Awards given out on May 3rd.  Good luck to all Chicago Semifinalists!