Chef Grant Achatz of Trio was awarded the RISING STAR CHEF OF THE YEAR by the James Beard Awards for 2003.

Below is an excerpt about Achatz from newcitychicago.com

“Charlie Trotter sat on the hood of his maroon Jaguar in the alley next to his eponymous restaurant in Chicago. A young cook approached him quietly. He told Trotter that he intended to leave, only six months into his employment. Trotter gave the cook his standard speech. He warned the cook that if he did not stay at the restaurant for a full year, that the cook would not exist, period. Trotter said, "Don't ever call me. Don't ever use me as a reference. Don't put me on your resume. As far as I am concerned, if you haven't worked here a year, you haven't worked here." The cook quit anyway. Five years later, in July of 2001, he found his way back to the area, as the new chef of Trio. The young cook is now wonderboy chef Grant Achatz--and he has returned to Trotter's home turf in an effort to find his own style, voice and maybe even his own fame.

Now 29 years old, Achatz exudes the aura of success that one would expect from a cook who was dubbed "The Golden Boy" by his former co-workers at the renowned French Laundry in Yountville, California. In his first year as executive chef at Evanston's nearly ten-year-old Trio, Achatz was nominated for the James Beard Rising Star Award in 2002 and named one of Food & Wine's Best New Chefs as well. Amid a flurry of champagne toasts and proud speeches,Trio got back its fourth star from Chicago magazine in April, 2002.”

Rest of Achatz story: http://www.newcitychicago.com/chicago/2475.html