Press Releases

Art Institutes Culinary Grad Sarah Grueneberg Named a James Beard Foundation Best Chef

Sarah Grueneberg, culinary graduate of The Art Institute of Houston, was named “Best Chef: Great Lakes” by the prestigious James Beard Foundation. Chef Grueneberg is the chef and owner of Chicago’s Monteverde Restaurant & Pastificio. She earned an Associate of Applied Science degree in Culinary Arts in 2001.

Grueneberg’s culinary accomplishments include runner-up on Bravo’s “Top Chef: Texas,” season nine, and is currently seen as a competitor on Food Network’s new “Iron Chef Gauntlet.” She was named a “Rising Star Chef” by Chicago Social magazine in 2009 and 2016 and Eater Chicago’s “Chef of the Year” in the 2011 Eater Awards.

In 2016, Grueneberg’s Monteverde Restaurant & Pastificio was named one of Food & Wine’s “America’s Best Restaurants” and was a top 50 finalist in Bon Appetit’s “Best New Restaurants.” That same year, it was one of GQ’s “12 Best New Restaurants,” Eater’s “21 Best New Restaurants in America,” Chicago Magazine’s “15 Best New Restaurants” and earned the “Worth the Wait” award in the Chicago Tribune Dining Awards, among other accolades.

“We are so proud of Chef Grueneberg’s tremendous accomplishments. She is a phenomenal example of how education, hard work and dedication to your passion can pay off. Chef Grueneberg is an incredible alumna and chef, and most deserving of this distinguished award,” said Dr. Nathan Breitling, Provost of The Art Institutes schools.