2022 StarChefs Chicago Rising Stars Awards
StarChefs is back in Chicago to celebrate the city’s most talented up-and-coming food and beverage professionals. The 2021 class includes 24 Rising Stars, recognized by StarChefs for their culinary strengths, charitable contributions, and their ability to navigate, lead, and inspire.
The Rising Stars Award winners are designated by the StarChefs editorial team based on in-person tastings and interviews. In each market, the editorial team tastes and interviews with more than 100 chefs, pastry chefs, bartenders, sommeliers, restaurateurs, and artisans, ultimately selecting a group of 17 to 25 professionals who best represent the future of American dining.
Although Rising Stars Awards are given out locally, award winners are evaluated according to a set of national standards. Creativity, ambition, presentation, philosophy, and, most importantly, delicious food, drinks, and/or pairings win the designation of a StarChefs Rising Star. The 2021 Chicago Rising Stars will be the 73rd class of Rising Stars Award winners and the second class from Nashville.
For more information, visit the 2021 Chicago Rising Stars Awards page.
2021 StarChefs Chicago Rising Stars Awards Winners
CHEFS
Ryan Brosseau of Dear Margaret
Damarr Brown of Virtue Restaurant
Luke Feltz of Smyth and The Loyalist
César Murillo of North Pond
Dave Park of Jeong
Bailey Sullivan of Monteverde
Eric “Chops” Wat of Lao Peng You
GAME CHANGER
Presented by S.Pellegrino
Timothy Flores & Genie Kwon of Kasama
COMMUNITY
Presented by Kikkoman USA
Chef Won Kim of Kimski
Bartender Donavan Mitchem of MONEYGUN
PASTRY CHEFS
Presented by TCHO Chocolate
Natalie Saben of One Off Hospitality Group
Lauren Terrill of Proxi and Sepia
Lucas Trahan of Ever
BARTENDERS
Presented by Beam Suntory
Eric Simmons of What If Syndicate
Sarah Syman of The Dandy Crown
SOMMELIER
Presented by Wines from Spain
Alex Augustine of Aba
Kimberlee Beeler of Alla Vita and BOKA
ARTISANS
Baker Matt Pontarelli of The Exchange
Baker Sam Zeitlin of Zeitlin's Delicatessen
Brewers Javier & Jose Lopez of Casa Humilde Cervecería
Tea Purveyors Taylor Cowan & Jordan Scherer of Spirit Tea
MENTOR
Presented by Vitamix Commercial
Sarah Grueneberg of Monteverde Restaurant & Pastificio
