Chicago’s dining scene just scored another major flex on the national stage, with three local restaurants landing on the final ballot for this year’s James Beard Awards. Bailey Sullivan of West Loop favorite Monteverde is a finalist for Emerging Chef, while Norman Fenton of Cariño and Jacob Potashnick of Feld are in the running for Best Chef: Great Lakes. Winners will be announced in Chicago on June 15, and organizers say the awards are sticking with the city as host through at least 2028.
Local finalists and the announcement
As reported by WBEZ, the finalist list dropped Tuesday at The Wellsley, a private event space in River North. The James Beard Foundation named Sullivan of Monteverde to the Emerging Chef category and slotted Fenton of Cariño and Potashnick of Feld into the Best Chef: Great Lakes lineup. WBEZ also notes that foundation leaders and local tourism officials used the moment to celebrate both the finalists and the decision to keep the awards in Chicago for the next several years.
When and where winners will be named
According to the James Beard Foundation, winners will be honored on Monday, June 15, at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. The awards site lays out the full Restaurant and Chef calendar, from semifinalist announcements to finalist ballots and, finally, the big reveal on ceremony night. That timeline now drives the flurry of voting, industry chatter, and press that follows this week’s finalist news.
Profiles: Monteverde, Cariño and Feld
Sullivan climbed the ranks in Monteverde’s kitchen to become a West Loop standout known for housemade pastas and seasonal, Italy‑influenced plates. As WTTW reports, Sullivan also broke out nationally as a Top Chef finalist before landing on the Beard shortlist. Cariño has quickly turned into one of the city’s most talked‑about tasting menu rooms, earning a Michelin star in recent coverage, and Eater Chicago has charted Fenton’s rise there. Potashnick’s Feld, in Ukrainian Village, has built a reputation for intimate, relationship‑to‑table tasting menus and has already seen earlier James Beard attention.
Why the nods matter
For restaurants, becoming a Beard finalist often means an immediate jolt in demand and a long spell of national scrutiny that can reshape a business. WBEZ points to Chicago’s recent hot streak at the awards: last year, five local spots made the final round and two, Kumiko and Oriole, walked away with medals. City leaders have framed the extension of the awards’ Chicago run as a nod to that depth of talent. For Monteverde, Cariño, and Feld, the finalist label is expected to draw more out‑of‑town diners and an extra round of media curiosity in the weeks ahead.
What’s next
Ballots will be counted in the coming weeks, with winners set to be named on June 15 at the Lyric Opera, according to the James Beard Foundation. The awards page details everything from ceremony logistics to key dates for the Restaurant and Chef categories. Closer to home, teams at Monteverde, Cariño, and Feld are preparing to keep regular service humming while navigating the spotlight that comes with a place in the Beard finals.
