additions to the prestigious ranks James Beard Award.

A finalist for the last 10 years.

The awards which recognize excellence hard work and tasty food and drinks.

>> Had been held at the lyric Opera in Chicago where they will return this June.

The mayor of Warren is one of the highest honors in the U.S.

culinary industry and 2 of Chicago's finalists are here with us now.

Joining us, our Norm infant the owner and executive chef of Kareen you.

a Mexican inspired restaurant uptown.

Hold one Michelin Star and Jacob Protection The owner and executive chef of felled a relationship to table restaurant in West Town.

That also is in the Michelin guide.

They're both nominated for Best Chef, Great Lakes.

We also invited chef Billy Sullivan who is nominated in the emerging chef category, but she's not available to joining us.

Welcome to the 2 of you.

And Congrats.

Thank Thank what does it mean to you to to be nominated for this award for a James Beard for Best Chef, Great Start with you know for us really.

And just as a validation of what we do in our mission at 3 know and how we want to translate or experienced a gas time.

>> We're very fortunate.

You know, we just do what we want to do it.

And 46 62 North Broadway in that little space right there and >> people keep recognizing us giving us that you know, just kind of fire to keep going and pushing and progressing our our concept in our cosine in our vision, our I love the way work in the address case.

But know he's going to come and see take up a task.

in India.

>> Yeah, you know, I mean, I'm so lucky have got an incredible team at the restaurant these recognitions.

It's cool that it's our name on them.

But the restaurants are a group activity there groups part so just means so much that that my team is being recognized for their hard work and for their support of what we've been working on.

>> restaurant industry competitive, challenging.

Obviously what would an award like this mean for the business?

I mean, there's like very literal stats that you could go to of like it leads to X, plus benefit.

And we see that.

I think we've been both a Michelin stars led to really great things for both our businesses.

>> you know, I don't I don't think we're in it just for the business it.

were both.

don't just really thrilled about this thing and and how much it.

means test to get even just some form of recognition in an incredible city with incredible food like this moment.

I mean, you know, he can speak for me because you know, it's just an honor to recognized along some really fantastic chefs in the city that >> really represent the diverse commenting that we have here and continue putting Chicago on the map as world-class food destination.

You know, it's really exciting to be a part of that.

>> How did you what brought you to the kitchen while you continue to persist in?

As we've said, what is a competitive challenging industry when he let it.

>> And I mean, I love being challenged, I guess, you the pursuit of excellence for you know, just trying to progressive be better every single day focusing on a certain craft.

You know, now there's lot of people that changing careers do a lot of different things.

You know, back in the day people would focus on one thing, you know, cobbler new shoes rate last month with 2 swords are nice.

Things like that.

And practice makes perfect and that I really get really good enough.

Jacob.

Yeah, I mean, it's only thing I wanted to do 7 years old.

wish I had a different career path.

Sometimes I'm just getting what happened when you were 7 you knew that this is I want you know, I think I'm one of those cliche people like my mom was a great chef.

My grandma was with both.

My grandma's are really, really good cooks and did a lot of home cooking.

And I just my positive childhood memories around table shared and in a sense hospitality.

And I think that >> that really affect me from a young age.

And I just knew this is where I was going to end up.

Felt one best new restaurant, invest hospitality at this year's been Chad Awards.

That is, of course, the Chicago based awards celebrating culinary excellence.

Congratulations on that as well.

You will.

You weren't necessarily very well received in online reviews early on, but you were able to overcome it, of course, because as you said, you did earn that Michelin star.

But how did you work through that initial criticism?

>> You know, it's so funny because you have 2 things.

Are you of the external noise and then what's happening in the restaurant every single day and what we're seeing in the restaurant every day was people coming in and being really happy and leaving the late, really loving the experience.

And so what we that was so early, I mean, it really was like the first 2 weeks of being open.

And I'm a first-time chef owner and made some mistakes and learn from them.

But really quickly, I think we realize you're on something special with the restaurant and what we're working on.

And we just focused every single day on giving guests the best experience you possibly could make it getting better every day and continuing to challenge ourselves regardless of what was the outside noise.

And I think it really quickly paid dividends and showed odd really ever review.

We've had since month after opening has been glowing.

You're positive.

Both of you are featured an Apple TV Docu series Knife Edge that followed your journeys to earn that Michelin star.

Let's see a little bit of that.

>> Achieving Michelin-starred means not settling for the first thing.

You know, a lot of people is nice make additional.

it's it's and it's an instant me.

I'm trying to look for the most.

Perfect rendition of that dish that I think if I can find.

Still like him.

It's too busy.

Enormous.

Be developing.

This months now.

I've been trying at 400 different ways are ready.

>> And how do you know when when the dish is perfect?

If it ever?

>> I you know, that's so weird.

That question asked I'm a perfectionist that doesn't leave.

You can reach perfection.

So no additions never finished.

It's always evolving.

It's always a a, you know, taking a new new So it's never, never, never, perfect, never, perfect.

Always working on always >> Jacob Felt has had a pretty you have an incredibly unique dining experience.

I should say.

Here's a clip of you explaining your vision.

Also in the show, knife Edge.

>> Well, different from most other restaurants because Feld is driven by your product and not technique.

And that means you're getting 30 small-bore says minimalistic cuisine that really allows the product shine.

This is 3 missions are ball.

menu changes every day based off seasonality.

What is coming in the door the hardest later on the restaurant?

It's a very rare where he ran a restaurant.

And to me, it's the right way to run restaurant.

>> 30 courses, I'm concerned for your you come up with that idea.

You know, we're driven by extreme seasonality to change our menu as often as we do, our food has to be a certain level of simple.

So that we can go to the market, pick up produce and figure out that day.

What to do with it.

I can't do six-day long processees on on food like that.

So it's driven by the idea of how do we take the best produce of the season of the moment and put on the plate and let it shine like that.

And as a result as a default to make that work is a longer menu with a lot of smaller, simpler bites.

You consider your restaurant every relationship table spot doesn't mean you know at its core were farm to table restaurant.

But I just felt like the farm to table moniker had been adapted by a lot of.

Restaurants that won't really executing that properly.

And so I wanted to come with a term that really emphasize what we're doing.

And that's where work directly with farmers and people we have visited and we know super well.

We tell those people stories to our guests every night.

So it's really taking farm to table sort of to the extreme Norman this year.

They're only 3 finalists from Chicago.

That's the fewest from this city from Chicago in quite some time.

>> Do you think that's a reflection of the competition in other cities in in the area in our region?

Or is it a reflection of the challenges of raising restaurant?

You know, I think it's a reflection of the challenges of raising a restaurant.

You know, Scott was a very competitive scene in general.

>> It takes a lot of noise to be you know, and I think, you know, James, here's doing their best to highlight all of the noise that is being made throughout the entire region, rather than just focusing on Chicago like they have in years past.

Jacob.

But think, yeah, I mean, tackling what he said, I think this is an incredible city and we're both just lucky to to that.

Anybody is looking at what we're doing and to be a part of >> Just an Okay.

Congrats again to Norman friend Jacob passionate.

Look forward to coming to see you at your house.

Also.