2020 Jean Banchet Awards celebrate Chicago’s culinary scene

Mariya Russell received the Jean Banchet Award Sunday night for best chef de cuisine for her work at Kumiko and Kikko. | Brian Rich/Sun-Times

The 2020 Jean Banchet Awards, celebrating Chicago’s world-renown culinary scene, were handed out Sunday night at Venue Six10 where 400 food industry experts gathered to honor the achievements of chefs, restaurateurs, designers and more.

Top honors went to the husband-and-wife team of Anna and David Posey of Elske, who received the award for chef of the year. Restaurant of the year honors went to Smyth, the tony West Loop eatery helmed by the husband-and-wife team of John Shields & Karen Urie Shields.

Anna and David Posey of Elske received best chef honors at the 2020 Jean Banchet Awards on Sunday night.

It also was a big night for Kiko/Kumiko, as Mariya Russell received the award for best chef de cuisine, while Kumiko was named best bar.

The legendary Ina Pinkney — Chicago’s beloved “Breakfast Queen — of her namesake Ina’s restaurant received the 2020 Jean Banchet Culinary Achievement Award, honoring her culinary career and support of the Chicago restaurant community. The restaurant closed in 2013 after more than 33 years of serving up (mostly) breakfasts to generations of eager diners.

The Jean Banchet Awards are named for the late chef who helmed the globally acclaimed Le Francais restaurant in Wheeling in the 1970s and 1980s where Chef Banchet transformed French cuisine into an artform.

Here is the list of the 2020 Jean Banchet Award winners:

Chef of the Year: Anna and David Posey (Elske)

Restaurant of the Year: Smyth

Rising Chef of the Year: Jess Galli (Middle Brow Bungalow)

Best New Restaurant: Kyōten

Chef-de-Cuisine: Mariya Russell (Kumiko | Kikko)

Pastry Chef of the Year: Craig Harzewski (Brindille)

Rising Pastry Chef of the Year: Tatum Sinclair (S.K.Y.)

Best Neighborhood Restaurant: Passerotto

Best Heritage Restaurant: Cafe Istanbul

Best Counter Service: Publican Quality Meats

Best Bar: Kumiko

Best Bartender: Kevin Beary (The Bamboo Room at Three Dots and a Dash)

Best Sommelier: Aaron McManus (Oriole)

Best Restaurant Service: S.K.Y.

Best Restaurant Design: Tzuco

The Jean Banchet Culinary Achievement Award, honoring a career in excellence and support of the Chicago restaurant community: 2020 Honoree, Chef Ina Pinkney (Ina’s)

The 2020 Jean Banchet Award winners.