Saturday, January 29, 2011

What A Night For Chicago Chefs!

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Kith & Kin's Andrew Brochu (left) shows off his Jean Banchet medal with Olmeca Altos Tequila brand ambassador Daniel de Oliveira at "Grand Chefs Gala" Friday. (Photos: 312 Dining Diva)

Avenues' Curtis Duffy was MIA at the annual Grand Chefs Gala Friday benefiting the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. And too bad because he won the most coveted prize of the night: the Jean Banchet award for Celebrity Chef.

Had the talented toque been there, it would have been one hell of a reunion. Andrew Brochu, who worked with Duffy at Alinea, took home the award for Best Neighborhood Restaurant as executive chef at Kith & Kin.

Dave Beran picked up Alinea's award for Best Fine Dining. The chef de cuisine, who will also lead the team at the upcoming Next restaurant, worked with Duffy and Brochu at Alinea.

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Alinea's Chef de Cuisine Dave Beran and GM/Wine Director Joe Catterson.

Beran also used to work at Tru, which also saw some of its alum walk across the stage. The Bristol's Chris Pandel (Rising Chef) and Amanda Rockman (Rising Pastry Chef) as well as Sixteen's Rachael Lowe (Best Sommelier) were all big winners.

Here's the complete list of the Jean Banchet 2010 winners and nominees:

Celebrity Chef

Curtis Duffy Avenues (winner)

Graham Elliot graham elliot

Stephanie Izard Girl & The Goat

Tony Mantuano Spiaggia


Rising Chef

Jimmy Bannos Jr. The Purple Pig

Jonathan Beatty Davanti Enoteca

Jason McLeod RIA

Chris Pandel The Bristol (winner)


Best Chef de Cuisine

Brian Enyart Topolobampo

Koren Grieveson Avec (winner)

Ryan LaRoche NoMI

David Posey Blackbird


Best Fine Dining

Alinea Grant Achatz (winner)

Avenues Curtis Duffy

RIA Jason McLeod

Sixteen Frank Brunacci


Celebrity Pastry Chef

Patrick Fahy Blackbird (winner)

Stephanie Prida RIA

Toni Roberts C-House

Mindy Segal Hot Chocolate


Rising Pastry Chef

Todd Feitl Prasino

Meg Galus Cafe Des Architectes

Jessica Oloroso Black Dog Gelato

Amanda Rockman The Bristol (winner)

Leticia Zenteno Ceres Table


Best Neighborhood Restaurant

Kith & Kin Andrew Brochu (winner)

Nightwood Jason Hammel

Prairie Grass Cafe Sarah Stegner and George Bumbaris

Sprout Dale Levitski


Best Sommelier

Chad Ellegood Tru

Dan Pilkey RIA

Steven W. Alexander Spiaggia

Rachael Lowe Sixteen (winner)


Best Catering Company

Berghoff Catering (winner)

Levy Restaurants

Limelight Catering

Tasty Catering

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