Pulse: ‘Top Chef’ contestant cut chops around here

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Beverly Kim, Downers Grove native, will appear on "Top Chef: Texas" on Bravo.

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Updated: January 3, 2012 1:44AM

The new season of “Top Chef” takes place in Texas, but it’s Chicago that’s forking over most of the talent.

The Windy City and suburbs has more contestants in the running for top toque than any other. A whopping half dozen of the “Top Chef” hopefuls hail from local restaurants, while New York, Los Angeles and Seattle each has four.

One of those contestants is from around here. Beverly Kim, 31, chef at Aria, grew up in Downers Grove eating her mother’s Korean food. She also is a Kendall College culinary school grad.

She worked her way through several high-end Chicago restaurants, including Charlie Trotter’s when she was 21.

“I worked there for about a year and four months, which is kind of like dog years over there,” she said. “It’s very intense, in a good way.”

She’s had more humble gigs, too, like working the hot bar at Whole Foods on Halsted — while pregnant. Kim lives in Uptown with her husband and toddler son.

As of this year, she’s back in the restaurant biz, serving as head chef for Aria, the Fairmont Hotel’s modern Asian eatery. .

For season nine, “Top Chef” (9 p.m. Wednesdays) has spiced things up with a few new twists. Since everything’s bigger in Texas, an unprecedented 29 chefs — almost double the typical number — will start out as “hopefuls” and compete for 16 official contestant spots.

Those 16 will cook their way through Dallas, Austin and San Antonio to win over the taste buds of “Top Chef” judges, a panel that includes newcomers Emeril Lagasse and former “Top Chef Masters” contestant Hugh Acheson.

A child’s life

Ramona Quimby comes to NCC stage

Just like most of us, Ramona Quimby’s life is a mess.

“Ramona Quimby,” a musical theater production based on the award-winning children’s book by Beverly Cleary, will come to the Pfeiffer Hall stage in December.

Recommended for children in first through fifth grades, two one-hour matinees will be performed by Theatreworks USA at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3, at 310 E. Benton Ave., Naperville.

Tickets are $10/adults and $5/children; call 630-637-7469 or visit northcentralcollege.edu/showtix. For $2 more per ticket, patrons may attend an ice cream reception from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. the day of the performance.

Quite the treat

Witching hour lands no arrests

Halloween fell on a Monday and was a bit chillier than it’s been in recent years, which might have had something to do with it.

Whatever the reason, Naperville police Sgt. Gregg Bell was happy to report not a single arrest was made between Halloween’s witching hour and 11:59 p.m.

Bell on weekdays uses email to send The Sun the mug shots of those arrested during the previous 24 to 72 hours. Offenders who get to smile for the camera include everyone from traffic scofflaws to those accused of committing violent crimes.

No such photos were taken on Halloween. “Apparently, all the ghosts and goblins were good yesterday,” Bell noted in his Tuesday email.

(We stress we’re talking about adults here. We’re presuming some members of the younger set bedeviled at least a few homeowners with raw eggs, candle wax and the ever-popular rolls of toilet paper.)

higher calling

Park District seeks tall tannenbaum

Shortly before year end, the Naperville Park District lets an evergreen stand in for a beloved weed, when the Dandelion Fountain becomes the stand for the recreation agency’s holiday tree.

The district is looking for someone willing to donate a large evergreen for the spot on Jackson Avenue along the Riverwalk. It should be at least 15 feet tall (although some have stood close to 20 feet) and be situated in the front yard, where a truck can get at it. Spruce and fir are preferred species.

Contact Chuck Papanos at 630-848-3590 or cpapanos@napervilleparks.org

Music to your ears

Violinist to perform at Wentz Hall

Child prodigy Clara-Jumi Kang will perform with the Artists Showcase West classical music series at 3 p.m. Nov. 6 at Naperville’s Wentz Concert Hall, 171 E. Chicago Ave.

The Sunday afternoon concert will feature the violinist with piano accompanist Chih-Yi Chen.

Born in Germany to parents of Korean heritage, Kang was admitted when just 4 years old to the Mannheim High School for Music as the youngest student ever. At age 5 she performed with the Hamburg Symphony Orchestra, and when she turned 7 she auditioned at the Juilliard School where she was accepted with a full scholarship.

Kang performs on a 1683 Stradivari previously owned by famed violinist Joseph Gingold.

She will release a solo album later this year, and is scheduled to make her Carnegie Hall Issac Stern Theater debut on May 4.

Tickets are available in advance or on the afternoon of the event for $30. Call 630-963-9093, or visit www.DGConcerts.org.

BesT Colleges

Benedictine in Forbes top 20%

Benedictine University is ranked among the top 20 percent of colleges and universities in the United States in the third annual ranking of “America’s Best Colleges” by Forbes magazine.

Forbes reviews just 9 percent of the 6,600 accredited postsecondary institutions in the United States.

“Forbes magazine ranks colleges and universities based on criteria that are important to students and their parents,” said William J. Carroll, president of Benedictine University, in a press release.

The rankings are compiled in conjunction with the Center for College Affordability and Productivity, an independent, not-for-profit research center based in Washington, D.C.

AT last

Park District earns national honor

Late in the afternoon Nov. 2, the Naperville Park District received the news it had been waiting for. It is a nationally accredited organization.

The decision was announced at the National Recreation and Park Association conference in Atlanta. It is only the second park district in the state and the 104th nationally in the nation to have achieved this status.

The Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies accredits a handful of park agencies each year that have completed a multi-step process involving a self-review by the agency, a site visit, and an evaluation and formal report by the commission.

“We are extremely proud to bring this honor to Naperville,” said Park District Executive Director Ray McGury in a press release. “It’s an affirmation of our high standards and also an encouragement to continue bringing high quality recreation and parks experiences to our community.”

The Park District’s accreditation process began about a year ago.

Visit www.napervilleparks.org.