Chef At Lincoln Square Restaurant Nominated For James Beard Award

CHICAGO, IL — The James Beard Foundation announced its list of Restaurant and Chef Award semifinalists for the 2018 James Beard Foundation Awards, and a chef in Lincoln Square made the cut. Iliana Regan of Elizabeth Restaurant was nominated for the 'Best Chef in Great Lakes' category, which includes Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio.

"Iliana Regan is a self-taught chef who began washing dishes at age 15 and hasn’t left the restaurant industry since," the restaurant posted on its webpage. "Her cuisine highlights her Midwestern roots as a small farmer’s daughter and emphasizes the pure flavor of the ingredients from her upbringing."

Selected from a list of more than 20,000 online entries, the semifinalists represent a wide range of culinary talent. The foundation recognizes the best new restaurants, outstanding bar programs, bakers and rising star chefs 30 or younger.

The foundation holds an online open call for entries beginning in mid-October of each year. This year, more than 20,000 entries were received. The list of semifinalists is then sent to a panel of more than 600 judges from across the country, who will determine the final five nominees in each category, and ultimately select the winners.

The foundation will announce the final nominees for all award categories Mar. 14 during a press conference at Parc, hosted by James Beard Award–winning restaurateur Stephen Starr, in Philadelphia. The James Beard Foundation Awards Gala will be held at the Lyric Opera of Chicago May 7.

Here are the Chicago semifinalists, with Regan's nomination in bold:

Best new restaurant:

• HaiSous
• Mi Tocaya Antojería

Outstanding baker:

• Greg Wade, Publican Quality Bread

Outstanding bar program:

• Lost Lake

Outstanding chef:

• Tony Mantuano, Spiaggia
• Carrie Nahabedian, Naha

Outstanding pastry chef:

• Jennifer Jones Enyart, Dos Urban Cantina
• Meg Galus, Boka

Outstanding restaurant:

• North Pond

Outstanding restaurateur:

• Kevin Boehm and Rob Katz, Boka Group

Outstanding service:

• Boka
• Sepia

Outstanding wine program:

• The Boarding House

Outstanding wine, beer or spirits professional:

• Charles Joly, Crafthouse Cocktails

Rising star chef of the year:

• Sarah Rinkavage, Marisol

Best chef in Great Lakes (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio):

• Abraham Conlon, Fat Rice
• Diana Davila, Mi Tocaya Antojería
• Paul Fehribach, Big Jones
• Brian Fisher, Entente
• Jason Hammel, Lula Cafe
• Beverly Kim and Johnny Clark, Parachute
• Ryan McCaskey, Acadia
• David and Anna Posey, Elske
• Iliana Regan, Elizabeth
• Noah Sandoval, Oriole
• Zoe Schor, Split-Rail
• Lee Wolen, Boka

Check out the full list here.

Main images courtesy of Elizabeth Restaurant.