—Congrats!: In D.C., The James Beard Foundation announced the 2024 Restaurant and Chef Award nominees as well as the honorees of the Leadership Awards, Humanitarian of the Year Award and Lifetime Achievement Award.
Winners will be celebrated at the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards ceremony on Monday, June 10, at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.
The Chicago people and restaurants receiving nominations included Anna Posey, of Elske (Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker); Lula Cafe (Outstanding Hospitality); and Indienne's Sujan Sarkar and Esme's Jenner Tomaska (Best Chef, Great Lakes).
The full list of honorees is at www.jamesbeard.org/ .
—Going dark: Krispy Kreme is selling its Total Solar Eclipse donut through April 8.
The limited-edition, Oreo-packed treat is honoring the rare celestial event occurring in North America on April 8. Resembling how the sun, the moon and Earth line up during an eclipse, the donut takes an original glazed donut and dips it in black chocolate icing, is topped with silver sprinkles and Oreo buttercream, and has an Oreo cookie in the middle.
Krispy Kreme shops are not in Chicago, although they are in suburbs such as Evergreen Park and Hillside.
—Happy birthday: The Gold Coast spot Third Coast Cafe, 1260 N. Dearborn Pkwy., celebrated its 39th birthday.
It doesn't look a day over 30.
I remember going there back in the day—but I'd only get items to go because indoor smoking was allowed and there would be a cloud of smoke above all the diners. However, thanks to then-Gov. Rod Blagojevich banning such smoking, I was actually able to eat there—and I've enjoyed many meals there since.
—Chick, chick boom: There's a new Chick-fil-A opening in Chicago's Pullman neighborhood—and some residents are expressing mixed feelings about that, Block Club Chicago noted.
The restaurant is a collaboration between Pullman-based nonprofit Chicago Neighborhood Initiatives, Rev. James Meeks and Salem Baptist Church's nonprofit affiliate, Hope Center Foundation. While some applaud the business Chick-fil-A will bring to the area, others have noted that restaurant leaders have donated to anti-LGBTQ+ groups—and Meeks traditionally has not been known as the biggest LGBTQ+ supporter himself, according to Windy City Times.
—Opening: Big Onion Hospitality (Fatpour Tap Works; Woodie's Flat) announced the opening of its third Fatpour Tap Works location, at 7244 N. Lincoln Ave. in Lincolnwood, Illinois.
The almost 10,000 square feet of combined indoor/outdoor industrial-chic space (slated to open at the end of this month) has a dining room, bar, outdoor patio and the concept's iconic keg cooler. The extensive menu includes items such as chicken-and-waffle bites, the 'Berg & Bacon salad, fresh-baked Bavarian pretzels, The Fatpour burger (with Merkt's cheddar, tomato and bacon grilled cheese buns topped with fried onion, lettuce, pickled jalapeno, black truffle aioli and a fried egg), crab cakes and various cuts of steak.
For more info, visit fatpourlincolnwood.com .
—Say Uncle: NBC Chicago reported that workers at the only Chicago Uncle Julio's location said they were only notified the restaurant was closing the day it closed—and many aren't sure what to do. (Increasing rent was reportedly the reason for the closure.)
The spot, at 855 W. North Ave., closed after more than three decades of business. The president of Uncle Julio's said employees were given the option to work at other locations; however, the nearest location is in Skokie, and the rest are nearly a 45-minute to one-hour drive away from Chicago. Also, one employee said the positions are not guaranteed to be full-time.
—Very Evolved: On Monday, April 22, The Evolved Network will hold a dinner at UVAE Kitchen & Wine Bar, 5553 N. Clark St., 6:30-8:30 p.m.
The Earth Day event will support the organization but will also celebrate the life of founder Chef Sebastian White's aunt, Gwen Barjon, who passed on April 22, 2020. White will design the five-course menu, and there will be wine pairings curated by UVAE owner, chef and sommelier Lindsey Anderson as well as dessert by "Team TEN" Sherlon Yates and Isaiah Scott.
Admission starts at $138 each. To reserve a spot, visit https://theevolvednetwork.org/uvae.
—Pop life: Don't forget my other Substack: "Pop-Eds: My takes on pop culture." Thank you so much to the people who've already subscribed. Among other things and people, my latest entry discusses a Freaknik documentary, the Final Four, J.K. Rowling and my personal connections to a murder case. Subscribe to andrew449.Substack.com to get all my thoughts.
Note: No reproduction of this column is permitted under any circumstances without express prior written permission. Also, much more culinary news is at SAVOR with Andrew (future3733.substack.com ).
