May 3, 2005
BY MONIFA THOMAS Staff Reporter
After four nominations, Spiaggia chef Tony Mantuano tasted victory as the 2005 James Beard Award winner for best Midwest chef.
The awards, the culinary world's answer to the Oscars, were announced late Monday at the Marriott Marquis hotel in New York's Time Square.
"Considering the competition, I feel quite honored and thrilled," Mantuano said by phone after the awards ceremony.
Three of the other four nominees for Midwest chef were also from Chicago: Michael Kornick of mk, Sandro Gamba of NoMi in the Park Hyatt Hotel and Shawn McClain of Spring.
Mantuano, who is also a partner in the enterprise, said the key to Spiaggia's success has been not resting on its laurels, even after 20 years as one of Chicago's premier restaurants.
During his tenure with the restaurant, Mantuano has earned a reputation for his fresh take on traditional Italian and Mediterranean fare.
"We just try really hard every day to keep it fresh," he said. "We have all the right things going for us."
Puck's Spago dominates
The James Beard Awards are named for the late food journalist and cookbook author. Winners are chosen by more than 600 restaurant and food professionals.
Steve Dolinsky, host of Public Radio International's "The World," was honored for outstanding national radio food show. He hosts WLS-Channel 7's "Hungry Hound" restaurant segment.
Entertaining mogul Martha Stewart, just out of federal prison, also won an award for best national or local television food segment for her "Martha Stewart Living."
Spiaggia, Tru and Topolobampo lost in the outstanding service category to Wolfgang Puck's Spago Beverly Hills.