Bin 36 Nominated For James Beard Award For "outstanding Wine Service"

Chicago's BIN 36 restaurant (339 N. Dearborn St.), led by Wine Director Brian Duncan, has been nominated for a 2008 James Beard Award in the Waterford Crystal Outstanding Wine Service category. The winner of the award will be announced on Sunday, June 8, 2008, at the 18th Annual James Beard Foundation Awards ceremony, held at New York's Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center. This is the second James Beard Award nomination for Duncan and BIN 36; 2007 garnered the restaurant its first-ever nomination in the same prestigious national category, which recognizes restaurants that display and encourage excellence in wine service.

"We are deeply honored to be nominated, especially in the company of such outstanding restaurants," said Duncan. "The talented BIN 36 team has committed itself over the years to creating an elegant yet approachable environment in which our guests can enjoy and learn about wine without pretense or fear of embarrassment, and we are so grateful to the James Beard Foundation for honoring our commitment with this award."

Since its opening in 1999, BIN 36 has led the way into a dynamic new era in contemporary wining and dining. BIN 36 has become Chicago's nexus for wine information and education through the BIN School wine education series; fun, wine-driven events; an exceptionally informed staff and a user-friendly system for pairing wines with Executive Chef John Caputo's creative contemporary American cuisine.

Wine & Spirits magazine named the BIN 36 pairing system "the Best Wine-Pairing System" in the nation in fall 2006, and Duncan, its creator, has been featured in Food & Wine and GQ as one of America's leading wine experts. This May, Duncan will accept the first-ever Gourmet Wine Cellar Wine Director of the Year Award (Chicago), and has also received the prestigious "Good Eating" award from the Chicago Tribune and four nominations for Chicago's Jean Banchet Awards for Culinary Excellence in the Best Sommelier category. Brian Duncan is recognized nationwide for his knowledgeable, friendly and sympathetic approach to wine education. In addition to serving as Wine Director of BIN 36, Brian Duncan is also the producer of the BIN 36 Wine brand in partnership with Hahn Estates. The wines are currently available in many fine restaurants and wine shops nationwide. Watch Brian's tasting of the BIN 36 wines here: http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid474418985/bclid1272074516/....

The James Beard Foundation is a national not-for-profit organization based in New York City whose mission is to foster the appreciation and development of gastronomy by preserving and promulgating culinary heritage, and by recognizing and promoting excellence in all aspects of the culinary arts. For more information, please visit www.jamesbeard.org.

BIN 36 is a versatile establishment with a commitment to fun, unpretentious wine education and first-rate cuisine. BIN 36 consistently generates a fresh selection of fifty house wines available by the taste, glass, flight or bottle, along with a distinctive list of 400 handpicked labels selected by Wine Director Brian Duncan to enhance the dining experience. The popular BIN 36 Cheese Bar
features fifty artisan cheese selections from small domestic and international producers, which can be enjoyed individually or in composed flights. So much more than a traditional restaurant, BIN 36 is a thriving, one-stop destination for young professionals, area business people and Chicago visitors seeking everything from cappuccinos and pastries to a quick lunch, an after-work social scene or full-service, casual fine dining - even convenient shopping for wines, books and gifts. BIN 36 offers a variety of options, including the Cheese Bar, the retail Market, the meet