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Announcing this year’s James Beard Award Nominees and Honorees

Chicago restaurants, Chicagoland Area, Historic foodways, James Beard 2025 Award Semifinalists, James Beard Awards

Announcing the 2025 Restaurant and Chef Award nominees, as well as the Impact, Lifetime Achievement, and Humanitarian of the Year Award honorees, for the James Beard Awards® presented by Capital One. Winners will be revealed at the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards ceremony on Monday, June 16 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.

Celebrating its 35th anniversary this year, the James Beard Awards® is upholding its role as the nation’s foremost culinary honors by evolving its awards structure. The 2025 Restaurant and Chef Awards is introducing three new categories: Best New Bar, Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service, and Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service. As an extension of the James Beard Foundation’s impact work and advocacy policy priorities, we are also proud to inaugurate the Impact Awards, which recognize individuals and/or organizations advancing standards for a more equitable, sustainable, and economically viable restaurant industry and food system. Impact Award honorees will be acknowledged at a ceremony in Chicago on Sunday, June 15, as well as on stage at the Restaurant and Chef Awards ceremony on Monday, June 16, along with the Lifetime Achievement and Humanitarian of the Year Award honorees.

Tickets for the 35th anniversary of the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards in Chicago can be purchased here beginning at 3 P.M. ET on Wednesday, April 2. The Awards will be broadcast live on Eater. We encourage you to learn more about the James Beard Awards® categories, policies, and procedures here.

Check out the nominees and honorees below!

Christina Nguyen, Hai Hai, Minneapolis, MN. Galdones-Photography.

Restaurant and Chef Award Nominees

Outstanding Restaurateur

Stuart Brioza and Nicole Krasinski, Atomic Workshop (The Anchovy Bar, State Bird Provisions, and The Progress), San Francisco, CA
Sue Chin and Jason Chin, Good Salt Restaurant Group (Seito Sushi, Reyes Mezcaleria, The Osprey, and others), Orlando, FL
Scott Drewno and Danny Lee, The Fried Rice Collective (Anju, Chiko, and I Egg You), Washington, D.C.
Allison Gibson and Cara Tobin, Honey Road and Gray Jay, Burlington, VT
Lee Hanson and Riad Nasr, Frenchette, Le Veau d’Or, and Le Rock, New York, NY

Outstanding Chef presented by Hilton

Lisa Becklund, FarmBar, Tulsa, OK
Gabriel Kreuther, Gabriel Kreuther, New York, NY
Josh Niernberg, Bin 707, Grand Junction, CO
Cassie Piuma, Sarma, Somerville, MA
Jungsik Yim, Jungsik, New York, NY

Outstanding Restaurant presented by Acqua Panna® Natural Spring Water

Coquine, Portland, OR
Frasca Food and Wine, Boulder, CO
Galit, Chicago, IL
Nonesuch, Oklahoma City, OK
Oberlin, Providence, RI

Emerging Chef presented by S.Pellegrino® Sparkling Natural Mineral Water

Kaitlin Guerin, Lagniappe Bakehouse, New Orleans, LA
Phila Lorn, Mawn, Philadelphia, PA
Nikhil Naiker, NIMKI, Providence, RI
Jane Sacro Chatham, Vicia, St. Louis, MO
RJ Yoakum, Georgie, Dallas, TX

Best New Restaurant

Alma Fonda Fina, Denver, CO
Atoma, Seattle, WA
Bûcheron, Minneapolis, MN
Ema, Houston, TX
Fet-Fisk, Pittsburgh, PA
Mābo, Dallas, TX
Mita, Washington, D.C.
Ômo by Jônt, Winter Park, FL
Penny, New York, NY
The Union, Helena, MT

Outstanding Bakery

Atelier Ortega, Jackson Hole, WY
Gusto Bread, Long Beach, CA
JinJu Patisserie, Portland, OR
Starship Bagel, Dallas and Lewisville, TX
Super Secret Ice Cream, Bethlehem, NH

Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker

Susan Bae, Moon Rabbit, Washington, D.C.
Cat Cox, Country Bird Bakery, Tulsa, OK
April Franqueza, The Dining Room at High Hampton, Cashiers, NC
Crystal Kass, Valentine, Phoenix, AZ
Carolyn Nugent and Alen Ramos, Poulette Bakeshop, Parker, CO

Outstanding Hospitality presented by American Airlines

Archipelago, Seattle, WA
Aria, Atlanta, GA
Atomix, New York, NY
Harbor House Inn, Elk, CA
Mixtli, San Antonio, TX

Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program

Bar Brava, Minneapolis, MN
Campo at Los Poblanos, Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, NM
Charleston, Baltimore, MD
MARCH, Houston, TX
Strong Water, Anaheim, CA

Outstanding Bar

Kumiko, Chicago, IL
Scotch Lodge, Portland, OR
The Lovers Bar at Friday Saturday Sunday, Philadelphia, PA
Water Witch, Salt Lake City, UT
Wolf Tree, White River Junction, VT

Best New Bar

Photo courtesy of Identidad Cocktail Bar

Agency, Milwaukee, WI
Bar Colette, Dallas, TX
Identidad Cocktail Bar, San Juan, PR
Merai, Brookline, MA
ViceVersa, Miami, FL

Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service

Jacob Brown, Lazy Bear, San Francisco, CA
Jose Medina Camacho, Adiõs, Birmingham, AL
Arjav Ezekiel, Birdie’s, Austin, TX
Cassandra Felix, Daniel, New York, NY
Cristie Norman, Delilah, Las Vegas, NV

Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service

McLain Hedges and Mary Allison Wright, Yacht Club, Denver, CO
Ignacio “Nacho” Jimenez, Superbueno, New York, NY
Dave Newman, Pint + Jigger, Honolulu, HI
Tobin Shea, Redbird, Los Angeles, CA
Mike Stankovich, Longfellow, Cincinnati, OH

Best Chefs presented by Capital One (by region)

Best Chef: California

Daniel Castillo, Heritage Barbecue, San Juan Capistrano, CA
Richard Lee, Saison, San Francisco, CA
Tara Monsod, ANIMAE, San Diego, CA
Kosuke Tada, Mijoté, San Francisco, CA
Jon Yao, Kato, Los Angeles, CA

Best Chef: Great Lakes (IL, IN, MI, OH)

Jennifer Blakeslee and Eric Patterson, The Cooks’ House, Traverse City, MI
Thai Dang, HaiSous, Chicago, IL
David Jackman, Wildweed, Cincinnati, OH
Chris Jung and Erling Wu-Bower, Maxwells Trading, Chicago, IL
Noah Sandoval, Oriole, Chicago, IL

Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic (DC, DE, MD, NJ, PA, VA)

Henji Cheung, Queen’s English, Washington, D.C.
Carlos Delgado, Causa and Amazonia, Washington, D.C.
Jesse Ito, Royal Sushi & Izakaya, Philadelphia, PA
Dan Richer, Razza, Jersey City, NJ
Amanda Shulman, Her Place Supper Club, Philadelphia, PA

Best Chef: Midwest (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD, WI)

Shigeyuki Furukawa, Kado no Mise, Minneapolis, MN
Diane Moua, Diane’s Place, Minneapolis, MN
Loryn Nalic, Balkan Treat Box, Webster Groves, MO
Karyn Tomlinson, Myriel, St. Paul, MN
David Utterback, Ota and Yoshitomo, Omaha, NE

Best Chef: Mountain (CO, ID, MT, UT, WY)

Joshua Adams, Campione, Livingston, MT
Salvador Alamilla, Amano, Caldwell, ID
Brandon Cunningham, The Social Haus, Greenough, MT
David Wells, The Tasting Room at Chico Hot Springs Resort & Day Spa, Pray, MT
Penelope Wong, Yuan Wonton, Denver, CO

Best Chef: New York State

Nasim Alikhani, Sofreh, Brooklyn, NY
Ryan Fernandez, Southern Junction Barbecue, Buffalo, NY
Eiji Ichimura, Sushi Ichimura, New York, NY
Atsushi Kono, Kono, New York, NY
Vijay Kumar, Semma, New York, NY

Best Chef: Northeast (CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT)

Avery Buck, May Day, Burlington, VT
Sky Haneul Kim, Gift Horse, Providence, RI
Brian Lewis, The Cottage, Westport, CT
Erin Miller, Urban Hearth, Cambridge, MA
Derek Wagner, Nicks on Broadway, Providence, RI

Best Chef: Northwest and Pacific (AK, HI, OR, WA)

Jay Blackinton, Houlme, Orcas Island, WA
Joshua Dorcak, MÄS, Ashland, OR
Ryan Roadhouse, Nodoguro, Portland, OR
Beau Schooler, In Bocca Al Lupo, Juneau, AK
Timothy Wastell, Antica Terra, Amity, OR

Best Chef: South (AL, AR, FL, LA, MS, PR)

Nando Chang, Itamae AO, Miami, FL
Matthew Cooper, Conifer, Bentonville, AR
Kevin Garcia, La Faena AgroCocina, Guaynabo, PR
Angel David Moreno Zayas, El Gallo Pinto, Guayama, PR
Rafael Rios, Yeyo’s El Alma de Mexico, Bentonville, AR

Best Chef: Southeast (GA, KY, NC, SC, TN, WV)

Noam Bilitzer, MeeshMeesh Mediterranean, Louisville, KY
Sara Bradley, freight house, Paducah, KY
Jake Howell, Peninsula, Nashville, TN
Silver Iocovozzi, Neng Jr.’s, Asheville, NC
Robbie Robinson, City Limits Barbeque, West Columbia, SC

Best Chef: Southwest (AZ, NM, NV, OK)

Olivier Bouzerand, Fait Maison, Edmond, OK
Yotaka Martin, Lom Wong, Phoenix, AZ
Sarah Thompson, Casa Playa, Las Vegas, NV
Eleazar Villanueva, Restaurant de Joël Robuchon, Las Vegas, NV
Zack Walters, Sedalia’s Oyster & Seafood, Oklahoma City, OK

Best Chef: Texas

Thomas Bille, Belly of the Beast, Spring, TX
Emmanuel Chavez, Tatemó, Houston, TX
Emil Oliva, Leche de Tigre, San Antonio, TX
Regino Rojas, Purépecha, Dallas, TX
Michael Anthony Serva, Bordo, Marfa, TX

Achievement Awards

Impact Awards

The 2025 Impact Award honorees are:

Angie Craig, U.S. Representative (MN-2); Minority Leader, House Committee on Agriculture
Brandon Edwin Chrostowski, CEO, EDWINS Leadership & Restaurant Institute
Anthony Edwards Jr., CEO and Co-Founder, EatOkra
Seanicaa Edwards Herron, Founder and Executive Director, Freedmen Heirs Foundation
Dune Lankard, President and Founder, Native Conservancy

Humanitarian of the Year Award

The 2024 Humanitarian of the Year Award honoree is Chad Houser, founder and CEO of Café Momentum, a Dallas-based nonprofit restaurant with multiple locations nationwide dedicated to equipping justice-involved teens aged 15-19 with skills, education, and employment opportunities in the culinary industry.

Lifetime Achievement Award

Toni Tipton-Martin photo courtesy of “When Southern Women Cook”

The 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award honoree is esteemed author, culinary journalist, and activist Toni Tipton-Martin.

Winning Works: Choreographers Shine at Museum of Contemporary Art

Dance

By Guest Blogger Eloise Marie Valadez

Inspiring and energetic dance works are in the spotlight at Chicago’s Museum of Contemporary Art.

The 15th annual “Winning Works” program presented by The Grainger Academy of The Joffrey Ballet runs through March 23 at the museum’s Edlis Neeson Theater. The program showcases the dances of artists who submitted their works in the annual choreographic competition which spotlights ALAANA (African, Latinx, Asian, Arab and Native American) artists.

Five world premieres star on the program which features dancers from the Joffrey Studio Company, Joffrey Ballet Conservatory and trainees. The works presented are surely standouts. All five are creative, innovative and are performed by skilled young artists.

The works that star on the show roster are “Lusi” by Alejandro Perez; “Jive Five” by Shota Miyoshi; “Bereshit” by Karley Childress; “Soulcry” by Roderick George; and “Seachange” by Keelan Whitmore. Each work is choreographed to special musical pieces by composers who worked specifically with the choreographers.

Dancers in the dark — Dancers are seen in the work “Jive Five.”

Prior to each work being performed, video clips of interviews with each choreographer and dancers who perform the works provide a good background for understanding each dance. This show definitely proves there are a great number of up-and-coming choreographers emerging on the scene today.

FYI: “Winning Works” runs through March 23 at The Museum of Contemporary Art, 220 E. Chicago Ave., Chicago. Visit joffrey.org.

About Eloise Marie Valadez

Guest blogger Eloise Marie Valadez, a frequent contributor to Travel/Food, is a professional journalist/writer and editor with four decades of experience covering the arts, entertainment, and culinary industries. A native of Chicago, she has a passion for the written word.

Xavier Mortimer Mesmerizes Chicago with Magic

CIBC Theatre, Theater, Xavier Mortimer

Guest post by Eloise Marie Valadez.

Fans of magic, music and fascinating illusions will want to take a seat at Chicago’s CIBC Theatre this weekend.

The talents of illusionist and Las Vegas headliner Xavier Mortimer will be on display there in “Xavier Mortimer: Master of Illusion” on March 21 through March 23. The performer said he’s excited to bring his new show to The Windy City.

“It’s going to be my first time performing in Chicago,” Mortimer said. The illusionist, who has been performing in Vegas for 10 years, said he looks forward to touring with his show.

“It’s very exciting for me to discover new cities and meet new people,” he said about touring. Mortimer’s show features a blend of magical entertainment. Mortimer called his production a highly “visual” magic show with grand illusions as well as storytelling elements.

“This. Is a show for everyone, from 5 to any age,” he said.

Courtesy of Broadway in Chicago.

Mortimer, who starred in Cirque du Soleil’s “Michael Jackson: One,” said he co-composed much of the music in his magic show. The illusionist also has a background in acrobatics and dance.

He said he enjoyed working in the Jackson Cirque show, which was the project that initially brought him to Vegas. Mortimer, who has appeared on “America’s Got Talent” and “Penn & Teller: Fool Us,” has a popular social media presence on YouTube, TikTok and Instagram.

“It was an amazing experience to be part of a huge production in Vegas,” he said of the Michael Jackson show.

Mortimer said he was fascinated by magic while growing up in the south of France.

“I love magic. I’m passionate about any performance art,” he said.

“Magic is like music…there are no language barriers,” Mortimer said.

Mortimer said he is inspired by the talents of Charlie Chaplin when creating magic acts and illusions. He describes Chaplin as having had an amazing storytelling ability that allowed him to draw people in.

“I try to bring people into my world the way he did,” Mortimer said.

FYI: “Xavier Mortimer: Master of Magic” runs March 21 to 23 at CIBC Theatre, 18 W. Monroe, Chicago. Tickets are $40 to $115. Visit BroadwayInChicago.com.

About Eloise Marie Valadez

Lincoln Park Zoo Welcomes a New Mob of Meerkats

Animals, Chicago Neighborhoods, Lincoln Park Zoo, Meekrats

File this post under Seriously Cute. It’s the latest update about the meerkats at Chicago’s Lincoln Park Zoo.

This “flower power” mob consists of three juvenile sisters

At about 1.5 years old, the meerkats in this flower power mob are still considered juveniles. They were born as part of the same litter at Madison, Wisconsin’s Henry Vilas Zoo, where they were living before coming to Chicago. Their transfer is the result of a recommendation by the Meerkats Species Survival Plan®. This is a collaborative population management effort among institutions within the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

Meerkats are a matriarchal species, meaning that females are dominant. In a mob, one meerkat is always on sentinel duty, keeping a sharp eye out for predators while others forage. If they do spot a predator, the sentinel will let out a shrill call warning the other meerkats to take cover. Visitors at Lincoln Park Zoo can often spot the meerkat on sentinel duty because they’ll be standing on their hind legs atop one of the tall mounds in their habitat. The mob rotates sentinel duty throughout the day, so visitors might even catch a changing of the guard!

“Meerkats’ social nature and cooperation with one another is a great lesson that all of us can learn from,” said Lincoln Park Zoo Curator Cassy Kutilek. “Clover, Dahlia, and Violet are no exception; one of them is always on alert, keeping an eye on everything going on around their habitat. It’s been really rewarding to see their personalities come out as they’ve acclimated to their new home.”

Measuring between 10-14 inches long and weighing up to 2.2 pounds, meerkats are a small, slender member of the mongoose family whose native range spans southern Africa. As made famous by Timon in The Lion King, a meerkat’s diet primarily consists of insects like grubs and termites. They’re a very vocal species, with at least ten distinctive vocalizations, ranging from growls and clucks to their shrill alarm bark.

Meerkats have a grizzly gray and brown coat with a dark tip on their tail. They also have dark patches around their eyes that reduce glare from the harsh sunlight common to the savannas and grasslands they call home, not dissimilar to the black paint American football players place below their eyes for protection against the sun and stadium lights.

Meerkats are listed as a species of Least Concern with the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s Red List, meaning that they do not currently face any threat of endangerment or extinction.

About Lincoln Park Zoo

Lincoln Park Zoo inspires communities to create environments where wildlife will thrive in our urbanizing world. The zoo is a leader in local and global conservation, animal care and welfare, learning, and science. A historic Chicago landmark founded in 1868, the not-for-profit Lincoln Park Zoo is a privately-managed, member-supported organization and is free and open 365 days a year. Visit us at lpzoo.org.

Photos by Christopher Bijalba.

Forgotten History: The Gardens of Jens Jensen

Chicago Parks, Garden Tours, Ideal HIghway, Jens Jensen, Lake Michigan, Lincoln HIghway, Uncategorized

For all but the most avid landscape design devotees, the name Jens Jensen may seem slightly familiar but little more. However his beautifully crafted landscapes in Chicago, Indiana, and Wisconsin endure more than a century after his death.

Jensen left his native Denmark and settled in America in 1884 because of his parents’ disapproval of his wife. Starting as a street sweeper for Chicago’s West Park System, he became one of America’s most significant landscape architects.

Northwest Indiana

South Bay Hotel in the early 1900s. Photo courtesy of the East Chicago Public Library.

From still here to long gone, Jensen’s work can be traced throughout this area that abuts Chicago, known by locals as The Region or, if you’re really from there, Da Region. He landscaped the grounds of the South Bay Hotel, a posh place in Indiana Harbor, popular around the turn of the last century.

South Bay Hotel postcard in the early 1900s. Photo courtesy of the East Chicago Public Library.

It was a place for yachtsmen who sailed from Chicago, docking their boats in a cove of Lake Michigan and spending time having good times at the hotel. Not far away, he designed the very stylish city’s water works park near what is now Jeorse Park Beach.

Jensen was the landscape architect for the original park in Marktown in East Chicago. He also drew up plans for Indiana Harbor’s Washington Park in the 1920s when large homes for Inland Steel’s executives were being built along the park’s perimeters. The neighborhood is now designated as the Washington Park Historic District.

He wrote columns for what was then The Hammond Times and now the Times of Northwest Indiana, offering planting advice and was also involved in a project called the Ideal Section, a 1.5-mile stretch of U.S. Hwy. 30 between Dyer and Schererville, part of the Lincoln Highway designed to showcase what highways could be like in a time of unpaved and gravel roads.

According to George Rogge of Miller Beach, Indiana who served on the Lincoln Highway Association and was a board member of Indiana Landmarks, says that Edsel Ford (Jensen also landscaped their Detroit area home that is open for tours), one of the backers of the highway, authorized a payment of $25,000 for Jensen to design a roadside park area and campground. That never came to fruition.

But the memorial Jensen designed honoring the Ideal Section and also Henry C. Ostermann, an early proponent of the Lincoln Highway remains and is surrounded by the native plants he would have chosen.

A member of the Prairie Club–a group of scientists, early environmentalist and those who enjoyed nature who came from Chicago to enjoy the dunes and waters of Lake Michigan, Jensen was instrumental in the fight to save parts of Gary’s shoreline from the encroachment of the steel mills on land now comprising the state and national dunes parks. A fountain he designed is located at the entrance of the Indiana Dunes State Park.

A Splendid Past

Jens Jensen Gardens at The Barker Mansion in Michigan City. Photo courtesy of the Barker Mansion.

In Michigan City, Jensen designed the gardens at the stately Barker Mansion, the former home of a wealthy industrialist built in 1857 and now an opulent example of the Gilded Age is filled with original furnishings and art.

Barker Mansion in Michigan City. Photo courtesy of The Barker Mansion.

The museum hosts numerous garden events showcasing its brick walkways, formal plantings, fountain, a niche with bench and Tiffany globes, urns overflowing with flowers and climbing bushes with pretty blooms.

The Lost is Found

The Jens Jensen Gardens at Marian University in Indianapolis. Photo courtesy of Marian University.

Dr. David Benson, a biology professor at Marian University in Indianapolis, wanted to revitalize the sprawling grounds of the James Allyson estate where the school is located. But when landscapers started to work, they realized this wasn’t just an overgrown piece of land; it was the work of Jensen. It is among the largest and most intact of his landscapes in the United States.

As an interesting aside, according to the Marian University website, Benson secured the 12th global ranking for identifying an impressive 611 bird species across the lower 48 states during the 2023 calendar year. Reflecting on his monumental feat, Benton described it as “an enormous challenge and a fantastic experience in practical ecology and ornithology.”

Foundtain at the Jens Jensen Gardens at Marian University in Indianapolis. Photo courtesy of Marian University.

According to Deborah Lawrence, Senior Vice President for Strategic Partnerships and General Counsel, who is also involved in the garden project, the 55-acre natural area of native plants, prairie, now the Nina Mason Pulliam EcoLab, is designed to educate through interaction with the environment.

Riverdale, the estate’s formal gardens were also restored. Both contain many of Jensen’s signature elements including a player’s green, and for water features, a series of spring-fed lakes encircling a central clover meadow. The restoration of historic structures include a stone colonnade, fountain, and what Lawrence describes as their version of a council ring.

“The plants are color-coded in purples and blues,” says Lawrence, noting there are walking trails and the grounds are open to visitors. “It’s what Jensen wanted.”

Chicago

Many of Jensen’s memorable works can be seen in Humboldt Park where he expanded the lagoon into the Prairie River, a cascading and meandering waterway with stepping-stone paths and banks lined with native plants. He also built the Prairie-style boat house there

Jens Jensen designed Columbus Park in Chicago. Photo courtesy of Choose Chicago.

Columbus Park is the only Chicago park completely designed by Jensen, and it is the only place in the city with one of his famed council rings. Part of his heritage, Jensen attended the Folk School in Denmark, a place for learning Danish traditions and culture, including an appreciation of nature. Council rings were part of the concept, used as a way to bring people together in the outdoors, a place to sit, share, and tell stories.

Jensen incorporated Prairie-style elements in his design of the Garfield Park Conservatory, one of the most popular settings for engagement and wedding photos in Chicago.

Up North

After the death of his wife, Jensen, who loved the beauty of Door County, Wisconsin, moved to Ellison Bay, establishing The Clearing Folk School, a place for classes and seminars centering on arts, fine crafts, humanities, and natural sciences. Visitors are welcome to explore the grounds and building and there are also guided hikes.

Upper Range Lights. Photo by Jane Simon Ammeson.

Jensen also played a part in the preservation of the 1,600-acre Ridges Sanctuary near Baileys Harbor, Wisconsin’s first land trust. Located on the shores of Lake Michigan, it’s a wonderful place for hiking.

Lighthouse — Lower Range Light in Baileys Harbor, Door County, Wisconsin. Photo by Jane Simon Ammeson

But its main features are the Upper Range and Lower Range lights dating back to 1870. Set 980 feet apart and aligned on a 340° bearing line, they are the only lighthouses still on range being used as navigational aids.

The last mile of WI 42 north of Ellison Bay was sketched by Jens Jensen and the most photographed stretch of road in scenic Door County. Photo courtesy of Destination Door County.

“Jensen also is credited with having sketched the last mile of Wisconsin 42, north of Ellison Bay leading to the Washington Island Ferry dock,” says Jon Jarosh, Chief Communications Officer at Destination Door County. “The extremely curvy stretch of road is the most photographed stretch of road in Door County.”

The Hebridean Baker: The Scottish Cookbook

Book events, Book signings, cooking, Uncategorized

Coinneach MacLeod, the Hebridian Baker, will be in Chicago on Saturday, March 1st at 2 p.m.- at The Book Stall, Winnetka, IL, to talk about his latest book, The Scottish Cookbook. And yes, he will be wearing a kilt.

Tickets: https://www.thebookstall.com/book-stall-welcomes-coinneach-macleod-hebridean-baker

Chocolate and Gingerbread Bundt Cake

For the bundt tin:

A little butter, melted
Cocoa powder for dusting

For the cake:

6 1/4 ounces butter
8 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
5 oz light muscovado sugar
2 tablespoons black treacle
3 tablespoons golden syrup
2 balls of stem ginger and syrup, finely chopped and drained
Four large eggs, lightly beaten
Four and a quarter ounces self-rising flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon mixed spice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
Pinch of salt

Brush your bundt tin evenly with melted butter and lightly dust with cocoa powder. Next line in a large pan, melt the butter along with the chocolate, sugar black treacle and golden syrup. Stir until smooth then allow the mixture to cool slightly.

Preheat the oven to 340°F.

Add the chopped stem ginger and beaten eggs to the chocolate mixture, stirring thoroughly until combined.

Stir the flour, baking powder, mixed spice, ground cinnamon, ground ginger and a pinch of salt into the chocolate mixture. Fold in gently.

Pour the batter into your prepared bundt tin and bake for 50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.

Allow the cake to cool in the tin for a few minutes before transferring it onto a wire rack to cool completely. For an extra treat, serve with cream or ice cream.

Clever ‘Clue’ brings laughs and suspense to Chicago stage

Uncategorized

Guest blog by by Eloise Marie Valadez.

Fans of the classic board game Clue will want to take a seat for the latest theatrical production presented by Broadway in Chicago.

“Clue,” a comedic play based on the Hasbro game and the 1985 film, continues to March 2 at CIBC Theatre in Chicago.

Directed by Casey Hushion, the production is a fast-moving show that keeps one’s attention throughout. Audience members will delight in figuring out what all the mayhem is about at Boddy Manor.

The “Clue” storyline revolves around six characters who are guests at the Manor and eventually, try to piece together this suspenseful whodunit.

Could it be Mrs. White in the library with a knife or might it be Professor Peacock in the ballroom with a candlestick? The talented cast of this show helps move it along quickly with their expert timing and strong acting skills. The comedic choreographed movements throughout are also fascinating to watch.

Starring in ‘Clue’ are Christina Anthony as Miss Scarlet, Alex Syiek as Mr. Boddy, Jennifer Allen as Mrs. Peacock (March 1-2), Mariah Burks as the Cook, David Hess as Colonel Mustard, Joanna Glushak as Mrs. Peacock (through Feb. 28), Donna English as Mrs. White, John Shartzer as Mr. Green, Jonathan Spivey as Professor Plum (through Feb. 28), Jeff Skowron as Wadsworth, Graham Stevens as Professor Plum (March 1-2), Teddy Trice as The Cop and Elizabeth Yancey as Yvette.

Those looking for a fun night out in the city should secure a ticket for this show. For more information, visit BroadwayInChicago.com

FYI: “Clue” continues to March 2 at CIBC Theatre, 18 W. Monroe St., Chicago. Tickets run $35 to $130. Visit BroadwayInChicago.com.

Cover photo shows the cast of “Clue,” which runs through March 2 at CIBC Theatre in Chicago.

Joffrey Ballet presents outstanding new works in ‘Golden Hour’

Dance, Lyric Opera House, Theater

By Guest blogger Eloise Marie Valadez.

Through the years’ The Joffrey Ballet has always offered dance fans works to enjoy, themes to think about and simply beautiful execution to marvel at.

Such is the case with the troupe’s newest program, “Golden Hour.”

“Golden Hour,” which continues to March 2, is being presented at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.

The program “Golden Hour” offers an engaging mixed repertoire blending works that stand out for their blend of beautiful choreography, dramatic movement and plenty of humor at times.

The dancers in the company prove skilled artists in whatever work they tackle.

In “Golden Hour,” the Joffrey shines in four works. Among the highlighted presentations is “Under The Trees Voices” with choreography by Nicolas Blanc. The piece, which features skilled and modern choreography, was created in memory of Blanc’s grandfather.

Showing the whimsical side of the Joffrey is the “Princess and the Pea,” starring choreography by Dani Rowe. It’s quite a humorous take on the fairy tale that showcases the company’s dancers’ sharp acting talents.

Also on the program are the outstanding “Andante” starring choreography by Yuri Possokhov and “Heimat” featuring choreography by Cathy Marston.

“Golden Hour” is definitely not to be missed.

FYI: “Golden Hour” continues to March 2 at Lyric Opera House, 20 W. Wacker Drive, Chicago. Tickets start at $36. Visit joffrey.org.

Cutline for cover photo: Dylan Gutierrez and Jeraldine Mendoza are pictured in “Under The Trees Voices.” Photo by Cheryl Mann

The musical “& Juliet” continues to Dec. 15 at The Cadillac Palace Theatre in Chicago

Entertainment

By Guest Blogger Eloise Marie Valadez

Fans of Shakespeare’s beloved “Romeo & Juliet” will, no doubt, be fascinated by one of the shows currently playing in Chicago.

The musical “& Juliet” takes the bard”s popular tragedy and rewrites the story as an energetic comedic production with a soaring soundtrack featuring contemporary pop tunes by Max Martin.

“& Juliet” continues to Dec. 15 at The Cadillac Palace Theatre in Chicago.

This jukebox musical offers a fascinating look at what happens if Juliet doesn’t kill herself after Romeo dies. There are many twists and turns in this production which also features creative choreography.

Among actors offering strong performances are Rachel Simone Webb as Juliet, Corey Mach as Shakespeare, Teal Wicks as Anne, Paul Jordan Jansen as Lance and Nick Drake as May.

Anyone who grew up being a fan of the pop hits written by Max Martin will find that the use of these tunes are woven into the production in a clever way. Tunes made famous by Britney Spears, The Backstreet Boys, Katy Perry and others star.

Among the song highlights are “Larger Than Life,” “I Want It That Way,” “Baby One More Time,” “It’s My Life,” “Roar,” “Stronger” and much more.

Get thee to the theater to see this show.

For more information on “& Juliet,” visit BroadwayInChicago.com.

Sidebar: Teal Wicks enjoying Chicago run of ‘& Juliet’

Actor/singer Teal Wicks is thrilled to be starring as Anne Hathaway in the touring production of “& Juliet.”

And being in Chicago for the performance of the show, she said, is wonderful.

“I love Chicago. It’s such a great town,” she said.

“Chicago audiences are very well seasoned. They’re very smart theater goers,” she added.

Wicks said the musical, which was nominated for nine Tony Awards in 2023, is “wrapped in a fun pop” soundtrack with a story which “has a lot of heart.”

The actress said she was drawn to the show after “reading the script,” which she thought was so “clever and funny.”

Wicks said she also fell in love with the character Anne, whom she portrays.

About the Max Martin tunes used in the show, Wicks said it’s such a clever way of weaving them into the script.

She also added the tunes are some of the biggest contemporary hits.

The pop songs, she said, are the true “love language” of today. And that parallels with Shakespeare being the “pop icon” of his time.

Wicks said she’s excited about the fact that “& Juliet” will return to Chicago in 2026. The musical is scheduled to play The Auditorium Theatre July 22 to Aug. 2 in 2026.

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About Guest Blogger Eloise Marie Valadez

Travel/Food is pleased to welcome guest blogger Eloise Marie Valadez who will be frequenting contributing to our site. Eloise is a professional journalist/writer and editor with four decades of experience covering the arts, entertainment, and culinary industries. A native of Chicago, she has a passion for the written word.

It’s a One Time Only Dining Experience: Chef Christian Hunter of the Michelin-starred Atelier joins Chef Sean Richardson at Rune Restaurant on December 22

Fort Wayne, James Beard Awards, Michelin, Restaurants, Rune Restaurant

What: A Collaborative Tasting Dinner featuring Chefs Sean Richardson of Rune Restaurant in Fort Wayne and Christian Hunter of Atelier in Chicago

Where: Rune Restaurant 2725 Broadway – Fort Wayne, Indiana

When: Sunday, December 22, 2024, with two seatings at 5 pm and 7:30 pm

How: Reservations are required by clicking here, or by calling (260) 278-0674

Tickets are $115 per person

What started years ago as a fun exchange about cheese at Zingerman’s in Ann Arbor, turned into a lasting friendship between Chefs Sean Richardson and Christian Hunter. Since those days, both were recognized in their own right by the James Beard Foundation. Later this month, they will reunite. Only this time, it’s on in the kitchen!

Fort Wayne locals have quickly become Rune devotees since its opening in March of this year. Chef Richardson uses locally raised ingredients for his seasonal menus that introduce guests to an array of international flavors in approachable ways. Chef Christian Hunter has a similar approach at his Michelin-starred restaurant, Atelier, in Chicago. Hunter is now a partner in the restaurant featuring a nightly 12-14 course menu highlighting dishes ranging from home cooking to something more fancy which always “tries to be true to our roots,” said the Lexington, Kentucky native.

The two lauded chefs are joining forces for a one-night-only collaborative tasting dinner at Rune Restaurant on December 22, 2024.

Richardson says guests can expect five courses featuring the best of the region’s producers. He’s excited to share the kitchen with his friend and said, “Any opportunity to share a space with another chef, especially one as successful and down to earth as Christian, is always exciting. The fact that it is our space in my city is extremely exciting.”

“It’s going to be a dinner that honors the local producers. So, I’m here to cook Fort Wayne food, and to learn about Fort Wayne. So, to me, it’s a very cool kind of exchange that we’re about to do. That’s what I’m looking forward to,” said Hunter.

About Christian Hunter

Chef Christian Hunter is inspired by his upbringing, global flavors, sustainable food production, and nutritional anthropology.

He first encountered diverse cuisines in his hometown of Lexington, Kentucky. As soon as he was earning his own money, he’d spend it checking out the newest restaurants in town from Mexican and Thai to Indian. “It was like I was searching for something,” Hunter recalls. That early childhood exposure all comes to fruition on his plates.

His signature style focuses on infusing New American fare with unexpected global flavors. He adds zing to locally sourced products with chermoula, freekeh, berbere, house-made garam masala, salsa macha, locally made miso, and many more.

Hunter has a culinary degree from Paul Smith’s College in upstate New York and has cooked at Relais & Châteaux’s Lake Placid Lodge and The Weekapaug Inn in Rhode Island. He spent four years in Charleston cultivating relationships with local farmers and also his own culinary identity, emphasizing global flavors. He joined Community Table in Litchfield, Connecticut during the challenging year of 2020. Chef used the time to familiarize himself with area farms and shape the culinary direction of the restaurant.

The Chef also brings his Southern heritage to Atelier. Coming from a humble background, he strives to get the most out of everything he brings into the kitchen. Hunter also wants to illuminate the ability of African American chefs to cook amazing food of any cuisine or genre.

Chef Hunter’s notable recognitions thus far:

2024 Chicago Magazine 50 Best New Restaurant
2024 Jean Banchet Rising Star Chef Nominee
2024 James Beard Best New Restaurant Semi-Finalist (Atelier)
2023 Michelin Chicago Young Chef Award Winner
2023 Michelin 1* (Atelier)
2023 James Beard Best Chef Finalist Northeast (Community Table/ CT)

About Sean Richardson

An Indiana native, Chef Sean Richardson remembers cooking alongside his grandparents as a child. Making everything from handmade sausages to varenyky and kapusta, he says that they “taught me what cooking could be.” So, when he moved to Fort Wayne to pursue a degree in creative writing from Purdue University, he also explored what cooking really could be by embarking upon his culinary career starting at The Oyster Bar in 2008, before honing his craft in 2013 at the award-winning Joseph Decuis in Roanoke in Indiana.

In 2017, he joined forces with Chef Aaron Butts to open The Golden in Fort Wayne where he was nominated by the James Beard Foundation as Best Great Chef of Great Lakes. His collaborative efforts have also put him on the map of notable chefs working on projects with Chef Jonathan Brooks of Milktooth, Chef and educator Kate Hill of Camont in Gascony, France, and Chef Dan Barber of Blue Hill at Stone Barn.

Most recently he helmed the culinary program at another Fort Wayne original – Conjure. It was here that he began dreaming about his latest project – Rune Restaurant and Bar which opened its doors in March 2024 in the 07 (46807) neighborhood of Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Richardson says that he has worked over the past decade to perfect his voice, and feels he’s finally ready to express a voice that is “loud with big flavors, a bit chaotic, technical when it needs to be, but never fussy, and always delicious.” He and his wife, Natasha, live in the neighborhood and value family time with their two sons – Rune and Casper. He also explores his creative expression by writing songs with his band –Best Sleep which performs regularly at various listening rooms in Fort Wayne.