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Monteverde Chef Wins Big At James Beard Awards

 Sarah Grueneberg, Monteverde, accepts her James Beard Award for Best Chef Great Lakes.
Sarah Grueneberg, Monteverde, accepts her James Beard Award for Best Chef Great Lakes.
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WEST LOOP — Monteverde chef Sarah Grueneberg was one of the big winners at Monday night's James Beard Awards, dubbed the "Oscars of the food world."

Grueneberg took home the prize for Best Chef Great Lakes, and along with Rick Bayless, was one of only two Chicago winners.

"I didn't plan a speech," said the overwhelmed Grueneberg.

She thanked her mom and aunt, "who taught me how to be a woman entrepreneur," and chef Tony Mantuano, her mentor at Spiaggia.

Monteverde, 1020 W. Madison St., opened in November 2015 and was named one of Food & Wine's Restaurants of the Year in 2016.

On its web site, Monteverde is described as "an Italian restaurant that blends the traditions of Italian culture and cooking with influences from Chef Sarah Grueneberg’s trips around the world, as well as her family heritage."

Food and Wine said Grueneberg "goes beyond the boundaries of her kitchen."

In 2011, Grueneberg was runner up on Season 9 of Bravo's "Top Chef: Texas" and was recently chosen as one of seven culinary masters to compete on the new Food Network show "Iron Chef Gauntlet."

Chicago chefs were among the nominees in some of the evening's most prestigious categories, including Outstanding Restaurant, Outstanding Baker and Rising Star Chef.

Jesse Tyler Ferguson of "Modern Family" fame served as host of the glittering black-tie awards gala, held at the Lyric Opera House. The awards will remain in the Chicago through 2021.

For the second year in a row, Chicago swept the Great Lakes chef nominations. Abraham Conlon of Fat Rice; Beverly Kim and Johnny Clark of Parachute; Lee Wolen of Boka; and Erling Wu-Bower of Nico Osteria were also in the running.