Chicago restaurants win three James Beard awards
Chicago restaurants including Oriole, Kumiko and Lem's Bar-B-Q won James Beard awards Monday night during a star-studded ceremony held at the Civic Opera House.
Why it matters: The accolades can often bring in more business, tourism and tax revenue to a city that could use the extra dough.
The big picture: The entire weekend of multiple Beard award ceremonies turned into celebrations of immigrants' contributions to American food culture at a time when they're under attack by the Trump administration.
Outstanding Bar went to Julia Momosé, mixologist, chef and owner of the Japanese-inspired West Loop bar Kumiko.
This was Momosé's second Beard after winning in 2022 for her book "The Way of the Cocktail: Japanese Traditions, Techniques, and Recipes."
"This one is so much more special because it's about the whole team, current and past, and everyone who helped us even before we were open," Momosé tells Axios.
"It's about our guests, our regulars, and those people who came in to give us a shot. It's such a beautiful community. And so this is just surreal."
Best Chef Great Lakes went to Noah Sandoval of Oriole who sent a surrogate to accept and read his speech saying Sandoval is away, "focusing on improving and nurturing my mental health."
The chef's message continued with words of respect to fellow nominees and push back to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Between the lines: Gov. JB Pritzker and Mayor Brandon Johnson also used their time on stage to highlight Chicago and the contributions of its immigrants.
Bottom line: Chicago may have been the biggest winner of the weekend as thousands of food lovers flocked to our town to eat, drink and enjoy beautiful spring days.
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