Chicago's 2025 James Beard Award Winners
Daniel Hautzinger
June 16, 2025

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In a ceremony held Monday evening at Chicago's Lyric Opera that contained numerous allusions to the importance of immigrants to the restaurant industry and the country, the James Beard Award winners were announced. Chicago has two winners this year of the prestigious food and hospitality awards, out of five nominees and 22 semifinalists. That's one more than last year, when Lula Cafe won Chicago's lone award, for Outstanding Hospitality.
South Side stalwart Lem's Bar-B-Q was named one of "America's Classics" by the Awards earlier this year, a recognition of "locally owned restaurants with timeless appeal that serve quality food and are beloved by their communities."
At the Media Awards held in Chicago on June 14, Chicago was represented by Eater's Ashok Selvam, who won the Jonathan Gold Local Voice category.
In addition, a number of people and shows with connections to PBS won awards. Toni Tipton-Martin, a cookbook author, scholar, and the editor in chief of Cook's Country (which airs and is available to stream on PBS and WTTW) received a Lifetime Achievement Award. In the Media Awards, two PBS shows notched wins: the upcoming American Masters documentary Marcella about the Italian cookbook author Marcella Hazan; and the Twin Cities PBS series Relish, hosted by Hmong chef Yia Vang, which has a new season premiering later this month and is available to stream.
Find Chicago's 2025 James Beard Award winners below.
Outstanding Bar
Kumiko - Kumiko spotlights Japanese spirits like sake and shochu in an elegant setting and has been on the list of the World's 50 Best Bars thanks to the direction of Julia Momosé. She now also runs the food program at the establishment, showcasing not just cocktail but also culinary chops. In her acceptance speech, she pointedly mentioned that Kumiko was made up of immigrants, children of immigrants, and queer folk.
Best Chef: Great Lakes
Noah Sandoval, Oriole - On his sixth time as a semifinalist or nominee in this category, Noah Sandoval finally took it home. Oriole is one of the most respected fine dining restaurants in the city, with two Michelin stars. While Sandoval wasn't at the ceremony to receive a medal presented by Chicagoan Rick Bayless, his win brings Best Chef: Great Lakes back to Chicago after last year interrupted a six-year streak of Chicagoans winning the category.