Jean Banchet awards 2024: Galit restaurant, chef Paul Virant and former Tribune restaurant critic among winners

Modern Middle Eastern restaurant Galit, pioneering farm-to-table fine dining chef Paul Virant, and 41-year former Chicago Tribune journalist and restaurant critic Phil Vettel were among the winners announced at the Jean Banchet Awards in Chicago on Sunday.

The Banchets recognize culinary excellence in the city and suburbs.

The awards were named for chef Jean Banchet, who opened Le Francais in 1973. The larger-than-life late Banchet made his now closed French restaurant in Wheeling an unlikely international dining destination. Jet-setting guests flew their private planes into the small airport up Milwaukee Avenue just for dinner.

The Banchet awards made their debut in 2002, with the namesake chef presenting medals to winners. The annual awards skipped 2023 to transform into a nonprofit. Last November they announced a partnership with Chicago Chefs Cook, the nonprofit charitable organization that’s raised more than $1 million for humanitarian crises in the community and around the globe.

The beneficiary of the $150 ticketed awards event was the Leadership Development Program at Virtue Restaurant, an entrepreneurship program for local young adults of color. Virtue chef and owner Erick Williams won the 2022 Jean Banchet Award for Chef of the Year.

At the sold-out event, Vettel received a standing ovation. In his acceptance for the new Culinary Excellence of the Year Award, he said, “The only thing more surreal than getting paid to eat in the greatest restaurant city in the country is getting an award for doing it.”

Here are the winners of the 2024 Jean Banchet Awards for Culinary Excellence:

Restaurant of the Year

Galit

James Beard award-winning chef Zach Engel’s Michelin-starred, Middle Eastern-inspired restaurant in Lincoln Park may perhaps be best known for his hummus, including one currently with brisket, which reflects his background growing up in the South and Jewish.

Nominees: Daisies, Jeong, Kyōten

Chef of the Year

Paul Virant (Vie, Gaijin, Vistro Prime)

The chef who originally opened Vie with seasonal cuisine in 2004, Gaijin in the West Loop with okonomiyaki, and Vistro Prime with steak in Hinsdale, adds another well-deserved accolade, while we await a renaissance with Petite Vie back where it all began in Western Springs.

Nominees: Paul Fehribach (Big Jones), Tim Flores and Genie Kwon (Kasama), Stephen Gillanders (S.K.Y., Apolonia, Valhalla)

Best New Restaurant

Indienne

Chef Sujan Sarkar’s Michelin-starred Indian restaurant in River North offers vegetarian and what they call “non-vegetarian” tasting menus at relatively reasonable prices, and even rarer, a vegan menu with 48-hour advance notice.

Nominees: Obélix, Valhalla, Warlord

Rising Chef of the Year

Trevor Fleming, Emily Kraszyk, John Lupton (Warlord)

The chefs’ have cultivated a fanatic following since opening Warlord in Avondale in April of last year, focused on preservation and live fire, with long lines waiting through record heat and cold.

Nominees: Damarr Brown (Virtue), Christian Hunter (Atelier), Margaret Pak (Thattu)

Bar of the Year

Best Intentions

The Tribune once called it the dive bar all other dives try to be, though the establishment in Logan Square facetiously describes itself as a fancy cocktail bar, after quietly reopening last April following a three-year pandemic hiatus (as reported by Block Club Chicago).

Nominees: Cherry Circle Room, Meadowlark, Scofflaw

Pastry Chef of the Year

Tatum Sinclair (S.K.Y., Apolonia, Valhalla)

The executive pastry chef created the extraordinary infinite desserts course at Valhalla (temporarily closed while moving to Wicker Park) including her standout signature black marble Pavlova.

Nominees: Maya-Camille Broussard (Justice of the Pies), Erin Kobler (Sepia, Proxi), Valeria Socorro Velazquez Lindsten (Loba Pastry)

Sommelier of the Year

Christian Shaum (Bazaar Meat)

The self-described “head wine guy” at the steakhouse by chef José Andrés opened in Chicago with Gibsons.

Nominees: Daniel Bennett (Sushi-San), Alex Cuper (El Che Steakhouse & Bar), Amber Pike (Andros Taverna)

Neighborhood Restaurant of the Year

Pompette

Chefs Ashlee Aubin, Aaron Patten and Katie Wasielewski started the Michelin Bib Gourmand friendly all-day cafe and wine bar in Bucktown.

Nominees: Boeufhaus, Daisy’s Po-Boy and Tavern, Torchio Pasta Bar

Heritage Restaurant of the Year

Rubi’s on 18th

Originally found only at Maxwell Street Market since 1997, the family behind one of the best tacos in Chicago finally opened their own restaurant in Pilsen after 25 years.

Nominees: Boonie’s Filipino Restaurant, Thalaiva’s Indian Kitchen, Tuk Tuk Thai Isan Street Food

Best Counter Service

Omarcito’s Latin Café

Chef and owner Omar Cadena started his debut restaurant in Logan Square in a shipping container within a courtyard as a legacy to his Latino family with food that aims to punch you and hug you at the same time.

Nominees: Flour Power, JT’s Genuine Sandwich Shop, Loaf Lounge

Best Hospitality

Bronzeville Winery

Cecilia Cuff and Eric Williams opened the restaurant and wine bar in its historic namesake neighborhood on the South Side of Chicago after two years of planning, two years ago. It’s now led by award-winning chef Lamar Moore.

Nominees: Dear Margaret, DeNucci’s, Smyth

Best Restaurant Design

The Omakase Room at Sushi-San

The sushi restaurant within a sushi restaurant in River North is an exclusive dark and moody retreat by Lettuce Entertain You.

Nominees: Bistro Monadnock, Fioretta, Warlord

Culinary Excellence of the Year Award

Phil Vettel

“Phil wrote about Chicago’s culinary community for more than 30 years, launching the careers of many people on this list,” said Michael Muser, event organizer and co-owner of the restaurant Ever with chef Curtis Duffy.

lchu@chicagotribune.com

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