Chicago Gourmet Breakdown

Chicago Gourmet 2010 has come and gone, leaving Chicago with the feeling of fulfillment on the culinary scene.  With big names like Rick Bayless, Jimmy Bannos, Dirk Flanigan, Stephanie Izard, Paul Kahan, Bill Kim, Art Smith, and the list goes on, we have alot to be proud of in our great city. 

I was given free passes to visit Chicago Gourmet, where chefs were giving demonstrations and food samples, and there was much wine to be tried as well.  Now while the wine was relatively very accessible, the food was not.  Every tent had extremely long lines to taste food samples and it seemed as though the chefs had a hard time keeping up with demand.  At last year's event, the tents were very accessible and I had time to get pictures and speak with chefs, all while spending minimal time in line waiting.  I think the main problem was that this year's event was oversold.  I'm very glad that I chose to attend on Saturday, as I heard that with Groupon sales, Sunday was a madhouse!

I decided to make the most of my time trying wine instead of food.  There were alot of very familiar names as far as wine labels are concerned, but there was also some great finds as well.  Some of the better ones I tried were Schweiger Cabernet Sauvignon, Cosentino Cigarzin, Argyle Nuthouse Chardonnay and Pinot Noir and Cusumano Nero d'Avola, just to name a few. 

For next year, I recommend visiting on Friday or Saturday, and early if possible.  You can get all of your sampling in and leave time to hit demonstrations as well.  Until then, enjoy culinary Chicago and have a glass of wine!

Windy City Wine Festival, Naperville Wine Festival & Chicago Gourmet

Summer's end brings more opportunity to enjoy the rest of 2010 and all that Chicagoland has to offer.  Great weather, food and drink is what's on the menu for the next three weekends so get your fall outfits and taste buds ready!

Windy City Wine Festival (Sept. 10 & 11).  Over 300 different wines will be onhand to sample along with food, beer and music.  You will also love the new location- 500 S. Columbus at Buckingham Fountain!  Tickets available for $25 online or $35 at the door.

Naperville Wine Festival (Sept. 17 & 18).  If you live out in the burbs or just want to travel outside the city, this is the perfect venue for you located in the historic Naper Settlement.  Tickets are available for $25 online or $35 at the door.

Chicago Gourmet (Sept. 24-26).  Featuring the best of the best in Chicago's rich culinary scene along with amazing wine tasting.  A weekend full of demonstrations, seminars, food and beverage featuring great names like Rick Bayless, Cat Cora, Jose Garces, Stephanie Izard, Tony Mantuano, Marcus Samuelsson and many more.  It begins with a Hamburger Hop Friday Night Burger Competition (tickets available online for $75) hosted by Allen Bros. Steaks and Blue Moon.  It continues through the weekend with tickets available online starting at $150. 

Also available this month is Dine Around, where special prix-fixe menus will be available at some of Chicago's best restaurants like NoMI, Mercat a la Planxa, Piccolo Sogno and many more.  This gives you a chance to check out some Chicago restaurants you've been dying to try on a budget.  You can also earn yourself a free ticket to Chicago Gourmet by enjoying five different meals at participating Dine Around restaurants.  I can't think of a better way to get the most out of Chicago culinary!

At Chicago Gourmet 2009

It was a cloudy, but beatiful weekend, and a great chance to enjoy outstanding wine and local food at Chicago Gourmet 2009.  My wife and I headed down on the Green Line, and then walked over to beautiful Millenium Park, where all the festivities were being held.  There were tents set up everywhere- in case of rain, each one filled with samples from Southern Wine & Spirits brands or local food and beverage options.  It was time to dive in, eat, drink, and enjoy!

We darted for the food tents first, to see what was cooking.  We were greeted by a huge pig on a grill, being cooked and sliced by the chefs from Jose Garces' Mercat a la Planxa.  This was extremely delicious, and started us off with a popular theme now being used by many chefs- pork.  Just recently looked down upon, the "other white meat" is reaching new heights in culinary acclaim.  I have always been a fan, and use pork as a key flavor component in many of my own home dishes.  This can also be served in a group setting at Mercat with advanced reservations.  We also started off with some great pork belly served up by the Four Seasons, smoked sturgeon from Blackbird, and heirloom tomatoes and mozzarella from Keefer's.  Countless other restaurants were onhand, giving out great samples like The Gage, Sunda, Spring, Arun's, Japonais, Hugo's, Mexique, Piccolo Sogno, L20, Carnivale, and C-House.  This was an awesome display of the Chicago culinary scene- one of the best in the world.

Next we headed for the Terlato tent, which was definitely the most awesome wine display.  Many prestigious brands were being poured like Two Hands, Sokol Blosser, Il Poggione, Bollinger (James Bonds' fav Champagne), M. Chapoutier, Chimney Rock, Rust en Vrede, and Terlato Family Vineyards.  Credenzas and couches were set up for ambience and comfort, and it may have been the most relaxed, yet festive tastings I've been to.  We had the fortune of running into Anthony Terlato, who could not have been more inviting.  We were looking forward to his cooking demo with Fabio Vivani.

We made it to a few demos, which were held in the Jay Pritzker Pavillion.  The first we witnessed was with a great trio of chefs: Mindy Segal of Hot Chocolate, Bill Kim of Urban Belly, and Stephanie Izard of highly anticipated The Drunken Goat.  They would be cooking with pork and peaches, with recipes that may be included on their own menus.  Chef Kim went with a pork belly sandwich, which may be featured at his new restaurant, Belly Shack, while chef Izard went for pork belly over seared tofu, for a healthy, yet savory offering.

Next, it was time for Anthony Terlato, offering his Santa Margherita Prosecco to the audience, and Fabio Vivani, of Top Chef and Cafe Firenze, cooking up some simple seared tuna.  This was not only a very good sparkling wine, but also an excellent pairing.

There were also many other great demos, including the artistry of seafood & salt, seasonal cuisine, asian delights, and farm to table. 

 

I was amazed by all the fine food, wine, and spirits onhand.  It was filled with delight after delight for the senses!  If you have never been to this 2nd annual event, make sure to be looking for Chicago Gourmet 2010.  It will be worth it!

Chicago Gourmet Food Festival 2009

Chicago Gourmet is on the way- a food and wine festival taking place on September 26 & 27 in Millenium Park.  This is just its second annual occurrence, and it will be a celebration of our city's culinary culture and history, highlighted by Chicago's best chefs and restaurants.  Also, hundreds of wines, local sommeliers, and wine experts will be onhand for tastings and seminars.

Many Chicago personalities like Mayor Daley will be in attendance, along with Chicago's favorite chefs: Rick Bayless (winner of Top Chef Masters) of Frontera Grill, Jose Garces of Mercat a la Planxa, John Coletta of Quartino, Dirk Flanigan of The Gage, Marcus Samuelsson of C-House, Tony Priolo of Piccolo Sogno, Stephanie Izard (Top Chef winner) of The Drunken Goat, and lots of other local greats.

Awesome food is not the only think on the menu, as wines from Robert Mondavi, Mionetto (one of my favorite sparkling wine producers), and Gaja Wines presented by Gaia Gaja, will be there for tasting, along with famed importer and producer, Anthony Terlato of Terlato Wines International, and his amazing portfolio featured at the Festival's largest tent.

Tickets can be purchased beforehand for $150 for a single day, or $250 for the two day weekend.  There are also upgrades for those who don't mind spending extra, such as Grand Cru tastings for $175 featuring some of the finest wines in the world presented by Master Sommeliers.  Here is a little hint to avoid the ticket price, which may be worth your while: Chicago Dine Around.  Starting now through September 27, if you dine at five different restaurants using their special prix-fixe menu, and attach each receipt to the Chicago Gourmet Dine Around Passport (available at all participating restaurants), you will be eligible for a free one day pass to the Festival.

Make sure to plan ahead and get in on Chicago's greatest food and wine event!