"The 2026 awards will feature 12 categories, from Restaurant of the Year to Best Counter Service to Pastry Chef of the Year. Last year's newcomer, Best Pizza, won't return this time around. The Banchets will also honor two local legends. Grant Achactz, the molecular gastronomy luminary behind Alinea, will receive the Culinary Excellence Award, while longstanding River North steakhouse Gene & Georgetti will be named the first-ever Iconic Restaurant of the Year."
"The Banchets were founded in 2002, named for the influential chef who helped establish Chicago as a dining destination with his French restaurant Le Francais in the '70s and '80s. Restaurateur and hospitality veteran Michael Muser serves as executive director, and a portion of this year's proceeds will benefit Giving Kitchen, a nonprofit providing emergency assistance to food service workers in crisis."
The Jean Banchet Awards for Culinary Excellence announced 2026 finalists and will reveal winners at Venue SIX10 on Sunday, January 25, 2026. The 2026 awards include 12 categories spanning Restaurant of the Year, Best Counter Service, and Pastry Chef of the Year. Last year's newcomer category, Best Pizza, is not included in 2026. The awards will honor Grant Achactz with the Culinary Excellence Award and name River North steakhouse Gene & Georgetti as the first-ever Iconic Restaurant of the Year. The Banchets were founded in 2002, named for a chef behind Le Francais. Michael Muser serves as executive director, and part of proceeds will benefit Giving Kitchen, which provides emergency assistance to food service workers.
Read at Eater Chicago
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