MILWAUKEE — Two Milwaukee chefs are finalists for the James Beard Awards this year.

Dan Jacobs and Dan Van Rite, of EsterEv, are finalists for Best Chef in the Midwest. The list of finalists was released on Wednesday. The winners of each category will be announced at a Chicago ceremony on June 10. 

EsterEv, a fine dining restaurant and chef’s table concept, brings in flavors from across the globe to a rotating tasting menu. The pre-fixe menu changes every week and offers 10 courses.

EsterEv was named for Van Rite’s grandmother Evelyn and Jacobs’ great-grandmother Ester.

"Our great-grandmothers, Evelyn and Ester, were women who had a spark of joy about them and a passion for cooking for their loved ones, and we wanted to honor their adventurous spirits. In the tradition of gathering around the table with friends old and new, EsterEv celebrates our past while looking to the future through an ongoing series of special dinners," their website explained. 

Dan Van Rite is a chef and restaurateur in the Badger State. (Spectrum News 1/Wendy Strong)

EsterEv is in the process of relocating to a new location from Milwaukee’s Walker’s Point neighborhood to Bay View. EsterEv is currently located inside DanDan, which the duo also own. DanDan puts a modern and Midwestern twist on Chinese-American cuisine.

Jacobs and Van Rite are six-time James Beard Best Chef - Midwest semi-finalists.

Van Rite is originally from Green Bay and graduated from Western Culinary Institute in Portland, Oregon. After cooking all over the country, Van Rite returned to Green Bay as an executive chef at Hinterland. He then worked as a private chef in Nantucket before opening a Hinterland location in Milwaukee.

Jacobs is originally from Chicago and moved to Milwaukee with his wife in 2011, working as a sous chef and executive chef at Roots and later Wolf Peach. He then worked as the executive chef for Odd Duck before opening his own restaurants in 2016.

Dan Jacobs is a chef and restaurateur in the Badger State. (Spectrum News 1/Wendy Strong)

Jacobs was diagnosed with Kennedy’s disease, a genetic neuromuscular ailment. He received his diagnosis the same year he opened his restaurants.

When they are not in the kitchen, Jacobs and Van Rite raise money for Kennedy’s disease awareness. Jacobs and Van Rite even founded an annual fundraising dinner — Dim Sum + Give Some — to benefit the Kennedy’s Disease Association.

Jacobs is currently competing on the 21st season of Bravo’s “Top Chef.”