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Found Chef Nominated as 'Rising Chef of the Year'

Nicole Pederson is up for an award from the Chicago-based Jean Banchet Awards for Culinary Excellence.

Nicole Pederson, chef at new Evanston restaurant Found, was nominated as 'Rising Chef of the Year' by a Chicago culinary awards group.

The Jean Banchet Awards for Culinary Excellence recognizes talent throughout the Chicago area with its annual awards. Nominees are chosen by a public voting process, but winners will be selected in a secret ballot by those involved in the culinary industry, according to the group's website.

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Pederson was nominated alongside Thai Dang of Chicago Asian restaurant Embeya, Tom Van Lente of farm-to-fork TWO restaurant and bar and Lee Wolen, who previously worked at the Lobby Restaurant of the Peninsula Hotel

Located at 1631 Chicago Ave., Found restaurant was recently included on a Michelin 'Bib Gourmand' list of eateries where diners can get two courses and a glass of wine for under $40 (not including tax.) It's just the beginning of the accolades for the year-old restaurant from restaurateur Amy Morton, whose father, Arnie Morton, founded the Morton’s chain of steakhouses and owned several other Chicago restaurants.

This past year, Found made the Chicago Reader’s Best of Chicago 2013 List and was named one of Chicago Magazine’s best new restaurants of the year because it  “has the kind of enthusiastic menu and following that any restaurant would kill for.”

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