The Heavy Table’s mission is to embrace and celebrate the best food and drink in the Upper Midwest. In support of that mission, we take time each year to profile and applaud some of the outstanding individuals who grow, brew, ferment, bake, serve, and otherwise facilitate the area’s great gastronomic bounty.
As we did last year, we’ll be giving out a total of just three Silver Whisk awards: Best New Establishment, Best Chef, and Best Purveyor. (Last year’s winners are not eligible for nomination again until 2013 — they were In Season, Sameh Wadi, and Uplands Cheese Company.)
Each award will be the result of a public nomination process, a staff-led winnowing of nominations, and a research / deliberation period before the announcement of our three winners.
Here are our criteria:
Best New Establishment
“Establishment” includes restaurants, bars, catering operations, and specialty shops.
“New” means it opened or re-opened for business within the 12 calendar months of 2011 (i.e. from Dec. 31, 2011 back to Jan. 1, 2011).
“Best” is very subjective, but we’re looking for places that:
a. Filled a new and important niche in the local gastronomic landscape.
b. Redefined the way local people think about food and drink.
c. Incorporated other local businesses (purveyors, etc.) in prominent and thoughtful ways.
d. Delivered a great value for the dollar.
e. Reflected Upper Midwestern terroir.
f. Incorporated a thoughtful approach to food and drink-related ethics.
Best Chef
“Chef” includes anyone cooking for restaurants, institutions, underground dining clubs, or other publicly accessible dining environments.
“Best” is very subjective, but we’re looking for people who:
a. Thought creatively about food.
b. Delivered memorable meals that could stand up to similar experiences in large markets like New York City, San Francisco, etc.
c. Incorporated other local businesses (purveyors, etc.) in prominent and thoughtful ways.
d. Taught the public something new about food and drink.
e. Acted as an opinion- or taste-maker reflective of the times.
Best Purveyor
“Purveyor” is someone making packaged or otherwise shipped food or drink for sale or resale, and can include farmers, ranchers, chocolatiers, brewers, bakers, and coffee roasters, among others.
“Best” is very subjective, but we’re looking for purveyors who:
a. Define excellence in their field when it comes to quality and flavor.
b. Successfully tried something new or risky over the past 12 months.
c. Incorporated local ingredients and cultural traditions.
d. Incorporated a thoughtful approach to food and drink-related ethics.
e. Delivered memorable food or beverages that can stand up to similar products in large markets like New York City, San Francisco, etc.
f. Incorporated a sustainable, ethical, fair trade approach (when possible) to making food.
Our Timetable
Today (Jan. 12): Nominations open. Any Heavy Table reader can nominate any establishment, chef, or purveyor in the Upper Midwest for a Silver Whisk award by emailing editor@heavytable.com or leaving a comment on this post. Supporting details are helpful but not required. Self nominations are welcome.
Jan. 22, 2012: Nominations close. The Heavy Table staff will meet to deliberate the nominations and arrive at three finalists for each of the three categories.
Feb. 13 through Feb. 15, 2012: Finalists announced. Each finalist will receive a brief profile describing the reasons for their nomination.
Feb. 20, 2012: Winners announced. All three Silver Whisk winners will be announced via Twitter and Heavytable.com. Each will receive an extended profile and photos, plus a framed certificate to commemorate the win.
Best new establishment – Zen Box Izakaya. Nothing like it downtown, inexpensive, delicious, great service.