April 04--Food Wine's 2016 list of Best New Chefs is out, and, for the seventh year in a row, a Chicago chef is among the winners.
Iliana Regan, chef and owner of Elizabeth (4835 N. Western Ave.) and Bunny the Micro Bakery (2928 N. Broadway), joins an impressive list of past and present award winners.
"I've known about the award for years," Regan said, "but there wasn't any expectation out there, other than hopes and dreams. I was working at Alinea when chef Grant (Achatz) got it (in 2002), and I remember it being a big deal. It's a really nice feeling, because we work so hard and for so many hours. Once in awhile, when we're extremely exhausted and tired and wondering what's going on, it's nice to have this recognition that you're doing something right."
The recognition has been a strong predictor of success; among the previous winners are Daniel Humm, David Chang, Rick Bayless, John Besh, April Bloomfield, Thomas Keller and Daniel Boulud.
Besides Achatz and Bayless, previous Chicago winners have included Jake Bickelhaupt (2015), Dave Beran (2014), Jason Vincent (2013), Danny Grant (2012), Stephanie Izard (2011) and Michael Sheerin (2010).
"I know the people who've gotten this in the past," Regan said. "They're all really great chefs, and I'm honored to be in that class. Right now, I'm just a little bit overwhelmed with it all. I told the people at Food Wine, 'don't be offended if I'm not screaming for joy; it's definitely going on on the inside.'"
Find the full list of Best New Chefs here.
Phil Vettel is a Tribune critic.
pvettel@tribpub.com
Twitter @philvettel
