—Honey Butter Fried Chicken is continuing its Clucker Collab Chef Series, partnering with Jason Hammel, chef/owner of Logan Square spot Lula Cafe. Hammel's 20 Years Young Sandwich pays homage to Lula Cafe's 20 years of service, and features Honey Butter's signature fried chicken strips topped with hot honey, sweet corn aioli, escarole, basil, red onion and white cheddar. The sandwich is $13, and will be available Aug. 6-11; $1 from each sandwich to benefit Hammel's nonprofit food-education organization, Pilot Light. The sandwich can be ordered online through Caviar.
—The Chicago Culinary Museum and Chefs Hall of Fame announced its 13th event with the induction of four inspirational women in the Chicago hospitality industry. The following women will be honored for 2019: Chef Sarah Grueneberg as Chef of the Year, Chef Meg Galus as Pastry Chef of the Year, Chef Ina Pinkney as Legendary Chef and Mary Kay Bonoma as Industry Leader. The event will take place at Joe's Live, 5441 Park Pl., Rosemont, on Wed., Oct. 16. Tickets are now on sale for $75; visit TheChicagoCulinaryMuseum.org .
—Chef Carlos Gaytan—a worldwide ambassador of Mexican cuisine and the first Mexican-born chef to earn a coveted Michelin star—returns to downtown Chicago with three restaurant experiences opening at 720 N. State St. before the end of this year. The concepts are Tzuco, Tales of Carlos Gaytan and Panango. Tauco is slated to open in the fall, while Tales of Carlos Gaytan ( opening several weeks after Tzuco ) will feature an intimate, 16-seat chef tasting room. Fast-casual/grab-and-go concept Panango is rooted in the Mexican tradition of artisan bread-making.
—The West Loop restaurant Blackbird, 619 W. Randolph St., has named Ryan Pfeiffer as its new executive chef. Starting as a line cook in 2014, Pfeiffer has worked his way up in the Michelin starred restaurant, and has set his sights on transforming the overall dining vibe of the space, a press release stated. To that end, Pfeiffer is already implementing some major alterations to the current offerings—including moving Blackbird's tasting menu to a reserve tasting menu available on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays only.
—Boleo announced the appointment of new Chef de Cuisine Franklin Perdue. Perdue brings more than 13 years of experience to Boleo, a South American-inspired rooftop lounge on the 15th floor of The Kimpton Gray Hotel. Prior to joining Boleo, he spent nearly half of his life in various kitchens throughout Illinois, including training at Michelin-starred restaurants in downtown Chicago.
—In honor of National CBD Day, I/O Godfrey is hosting a CBD-filled celebration all day on Thursday, Aug. 8. Guests are invited to mellow out with I/O Godfrey's regular menu of CBD mocktails and cocktails, as well as a new CBD-infused Kitchen cocktail called Stay off the Grass ( $22 )—a smoked vegan drink with a tableside presentation, made with green juice, Hendricks Gin, chartreuse, lemon grass CBD simple syrup, Luxardo Maraschino liqueur, lime, and aquafaba. For those looking to enjoy cannabidiol without imbibing, I/O will have two, limited-time CBD-infused dishes: the Mushroom Trip Trio ( $15 )—three mushroom varieties ( Maitake, Shiitake, & White Peach ) topped with pepper, garlic shallots, red curry, romesco sauce, and greens; and Pineapple Express Tarts ( $13 )—three petite tarts filled with housemade pineapple jam, cinnamon and whipped cream.
—Il Culaccino Restaurant has opened at the Arrive Lex Tower, 2134 S. Indiana Ave. Featuring a 250-seat dining room, wine bar and shaded, tree-covered patio, Il Culaccino is open daily at 11 a.m.-11 p.m. The menu features Italian favorites as well as signature dishes such as chicken vesuvio, chicken giardiniera, steaks and chops, seafood specials, and a wide array of appetizers, salads, made-from-scratch soups and pastas, including Nonna's homemade gnocchi.
—Burger King is bringing its vegan Impossible Whopper nationwide, starting Aug. 8, CNBC.com reported. The nation's second-largest burger chain began testing the plant-based burger from Impossible Foods at locations in St. Louis in April. Those Burger King locations saw traffic outperform national averages by 18.5 percent that month, according to a report from inMarket inSights.
—Chicago-based fast-casual Asian restaurant Wow Bao is partnering with Impossible Foods to create the meatless bao bun. Famous for its hot Asian buns, Wow Bao's new vegetarian product has hit select locations ( including State & Lake, 200 N. Michigan, Water Tower, and State and Division ), but will roll out to all Chicago locations ( excluding airports ).
—In celebration of Chicago's Market Days, Tied House, 3157 N. Southport Ave., will host a drag brunch Saturday, Aug. 10. People can reserve 12-1:30 p.m. Regular brunch service will feature a $6 rose special, every 15 minutes, with back-to-back performances from two local drag entertainers. See TiedHouseChicago.com .
—Executive Chef Brian Fisher of Michelin-starred Entente will welcome Chef Erik Anderson for a one-night-only collaborative dinner on Saturday, Aug. 10 at the restaurant, now at 700 N. Sedgwick St. Seatings will be at 5, 6, 8 and 9 p.m. Limited spots are available and more information can be found at www.ententechicago.com or 312-285-2247.
—Lawry's The Prime Rib is partnering with the Goodman Theater for a night of food and entertainment on Sunday, Aug. 11. This one-time theater package includes a three-course meal ( spinning bowl salad, prime rib, and white & dark chocolate mousse piano cake ). The meal begins at 5:30 p.m., to be followed by a performance of The Music Man at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $150 per guest and includes premium seating; contact Shannon Tauschman at 312-787-5000 or STauschman@Lawrysonline.com .
—The First Annual Trotter Project Beer Fest, presented by Helios Construction, will debut at The Irish American Heritage Center, 4626 N Knox Ave., from 1:30-5 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 11. The ticketed feast and imbibe event is the official kick-off for Charlie Trotter Days, which returns Aug. 11-18. Tickets are $35 for the Aug. 11 event; visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/trotter-project-beer-fest-tickets-63883105087.
—The initial Trotter Project Beer Fest, presented by Helios Construction, will debut at The Irish American Heritage Center, 4626 N. Knox Ave., 1:30-5 p.m., on Sunday, Aug. 11. The ticketed feast and drink event is the official kickoff for Charlie Trotter Days, which returns Aug. 11-18. Tickets are $35 each; visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/trotter-project-beer-fest-tickets-63883105087.
—LondonHouse Chicago's LH Rooftop, 85 E. Upper Wacker Dr. ( 22nd and 23rd floors ), is hosting a Star Party for its second year Monday, Aug. 12, 7-10 p.m. In partnership with Chicago astronomer Joe Guzman and his team, LH Rooftop invites guests to explore the cosmos from the 22nd-floor terrace at this free event. Attendees can gaze through two telescopes while the astronomy team provides insights into the sky's spectacles. Also, guests can enjoy LH Rooftop's menu of cuisine and cocktails, including Dark Matter—a cosmic drink created just for the Star Party made with Tanqueray gin, blackberry, maraschino cherry and activated charcoal.
—The Signature Room, 875 N. Michigan Ave., will host its annual Air & Water Show VIP Viewing Party on Saturday-Sunday, Aug. 17-18, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Buffet offerings feature a gourmet spread of brunch items from Executive Chef Cardel Reid including chilled shrimp, fresh seasonal salads, artisan cheeses, and various Chicago-inspired dishes, followed by a variety of desserts and fresh fruit. Tickets are $175 per person ( inclusive of tax and gratuity ) per day and include an all-you-can-eat buffet, a premium bar package and reserved seating. Guests must be 21 or older. To RSVP, call 312-280-0465.
—On Monday, Aug. 19, at 7:30 p.m., the U.S. Pizza Museum will celebrate its one-year anniversary at Roosevelt Collection, 1146 S. Delano Ct. This anniversary celebration will launch the pop-up's final months of special events and museum hours before going closing in mid-October. The museum is partnering with the Glitty Bitties Variety Show to present an evening of comedy, music, and storytelling, with proceeds benefitting Lakeview Pantry. Purchase tickets at uspizzamuseum.com/tickets/ .
—On Sunday, Aug. 25, 2-6 p.m., at Morgan Manufacturing, 401 N. Morgan St., Winestyr will host Winestyr Fest—an inaugural tasting event devoted to celebrating wineries across the United States. Just a few of the wineries that will be featured include Enfield Wine Co., Alexandrie Cellars, Halcyon Wines, Smith Story and Riley's Rows. Tickets are $65 each; visit www.exploretock.com/winestyr/event/68851/winestyr-fest-2019/ .
—Travelle at The Langham, 330 N. Wabash St., is offering picnic-basket options. Selections include the City Tour Picnic Basket ( $42 per person ), Millennium Park Picnic Basket ( $85 per person ) and Magnificent Mile Picnic Basket ( $190 per person ). To order a picnic basket, email Rachael at travelle@langhamhotels.com or call 312-923-7713, ext. 4236.
—Aya Pastry, 1332 W. Grand Ave., is hosting pop-ups every Saturday throughout August ( 9 a.m.-1 p.m. ) for guests to purchase pastries, cakes, breads and more! Down the line, Aya Pastry will be opening a permanent public storefront. The products at Aya Pastry—led by Michelin-starred pastry chef Aya Fukai—are available online for pickup seven days a week ( 72-hours in advance ) and can be found in a variety of the city's t restaurants, cafes and local grocers. See ayapastry.com .
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