James Beard Foundation Announces Semi-Finalists, and these Alumni Made the Cut
“It’s the Academy Awards of the restaurant industry.”
That’s how Steven Zaleski ’04 describes being nominated for one of the prestigious James Beard Awards. His restaurant group, the Day Off Group –which includes his classmate and cousin, Frank Callero ’04, and Frank’s wife, Kara, as well as Executive Chef Joe Flamm– was named as a semi-finalist in the category of Best Restaurateur.
The James Beard Foundation announced the semifinalists for its restaurant and chef awards on Wednesday. Widely considered the pinnacle of culinary recognition in the U.S., the James Beard Awards celebrate exceptional talent in the culinary and food media industries, as well as a demonstrated commitment to creating a culture where all can thrive.
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Another semi-finalist to make the list was Erling Wu-Bower ’01 and Executive Chef Chris Jung in the category of Best Chef in the Great Lakes Region. Specifically, they were selected for their culinary creations at Maxwells Trading restaurant, which they opened in December of 2023.
For Wu-Bower, it was the fifth time he has been named a semi-finalist and the second time at Maxwells Trading. Earlier, he had been named a semi-finalist as best chef at his first restaurant, Pacific Standard Time, and for his Mediterranean creations at Avec. He has advanced to the finals four times.
“It’s great for the restaurant,” Wu-Bower said. “That’s the part that’s most valuable to me, to bring recognition to the restaurant, especially in January and February.”
The nomination for Zaleski and Callero and their Day Off Group is a first and reflects their excellence at all four of the restaurants, including BLVD Steakhouse, which they opened in 2018 in the West Loop and Rose Mary in 2021; to il Carciofo and Bar Tutto, which they opened in the last year in Fulton Market.
Zaleski, Callero, and his wife, Kara, all continue to work full time in their professions, bringing their combined backgrounds in real estate transactions, investment, and development to the table, as well as Kara’s public relations background and network of contacts in the hospitality industry, including Flamm.
“Being nominated for the award reinforces what we know to be true: our collective team is second to none,” Zaleski says. “The heart of each restaurant is its people—their hard work, dedication, loyalty, and grit make everything we do possible. We are here because of them, and we are forever grateful to everyone who is or has been part of Day Off Group.”
So how did these Saint Viator alumni get into the ever-competitive restaurant business? In each case, they brought their strong foundation from their high school years with them.
In Zaleski’s and Callero’s cases, they competed together in sports, including on the 2003 state championship soccer team, while Wu-Bower loved playing in the jazz band. Yet, he grew up in Arlington Heights, where his mother, Olivia Wu, was the food editor for the Daily Herald.
“Food has been an intellectual endeavor in my family for as long as I can remember,” Wu-Bower says, whose cuisine at Maxwells Trading reflects his experience in Mediterranean food and the influence of his Chinese-born mother and father from Louisiana.
Yet, despite their different interests and experiences, one thing they agree on is the impact of being recognized by the James Beard Foundation -- and of the backing of the Saint Viator community
“Saint Viator not only did a great job preparing us for college and our adult lives,” Callero says, “but it also provided us with an amazing community that has been beyond supportive of us both personally and professionally.”
