Bon Appetit presents Chicago Gourmet has announced its star-studded chef line-up for the annual event, which will take place Sept. 23-25 in Millennium Park. Rick Bayless will helm the event, with Art Smith, Anne Burrell, Jose Garces, Sarah Grueneberg, Amanda Cohen and Takashi Yagihashi among the other chefs slated to appear. See ChicagoGourmet.org for one-day passes, as all weekend passes are gone.
The Ottawa 2 Rivers Wine Fest will take place June 10-12 in Ottawa, Illinois. Attendees can experience live jazz, an outdoor market and fresh lobster, among other things. Among the musical acts slated to perform are Alyssa Allgood, Dee Alexander and the Jeannie Tanner Quartet. See ottawa2riverswinefest.com .
Steppenwolf Theatre Company has opened Front Bar: Coffee and Drinks, its new cafe/bar at 1700 N Halsted St. Functioning as a stand-alone entity, the cafe/bar also connects to Steppenwolf's existing main building creating an expanded lobby space. Front Bar was developed with consultation from Boka Restaurant Group, along with interior designers Karen Herold and Kayce Carter of Studio K and the marketing and design firm Grip.
Homestead on the Roof, 1924 W. Chicago Ave., has announced Rob Shaner as the new executive chef. Prior to joining Homestead on the Roof, Chef Shaner immersed himself in kitchens around Chicago, working alongside Chefs John Manion, Chris Pandel and Ryan Poli. New dishes include crispy fried sweetbreads, ivory char and mint pappardelle. See HomesteadOnTheRoof.com .
Mexican restaurant Cantina 1910, 5025 N. Clark St., is introducing its new summer menu. Some of the new dishes include sea-bass ceviche; housemade chorizo, short rib and turkey carnita tacos; and banana-leaf barramundi. Also, in addition to the new dinner selections, Cantina 1910 has refreshed the menus at Cafe 1910, a full service weekday cafe inside Cantina 1910. See Cantina-1910.com/menu.
South Loop restaurant Mercat a la Planxa announced that Aaron McKay has been promoted to executive chef. Previously, McKay worked at Schwa and served as sous chef at Nomi in the Park Hyatt Chicago under Chef Andrew Zimmerman before moving to work for the Hyatt Corporation as executive chef. McKay recently returned from an extended trip to Spain, where he explored the cuisine of Catalonia, studying the traditional techniques and ingredients of the region to inspire and educate his work in the kitchen at Mercat.
A collaboration between chef/culinary tastemaker Art Smith and Chicago restaurant group Ideology Entertainment, Blue Door Kitchen & Garden, 52 W. Elm St., will bring farm to family dining to the city's Gold Coast neighborhood this June. Ideology Chefs Todd Hawkesworth, Rey Villalobos and Justin Ferguson will work closely with Smith to showcase American heirloom-focused cuisine prepared with seasonal ingredients from local farms, including its namesake and Oprah Winfrey's former Indiana property, Blue Door Farm.
Items will include crab cake and eggs, buttermilk fried chicken, and roasted beet-and-feta salad. See BlueDoorKitchenChicago.com .
Less than a year after pulling the plug on a potential move to downtown Chicago, fast-food giant McDonald's is near a deal to shift its headquarters to the former Harpo Studios campus in the city's Fulton Market district, Crain's Chicago Business reported. If the lease is completed as expected, it will continue a trend of well-known suburban companies such as Kraft Heinz, Motorola Mobility and Motorola Solutions moving headquarters downtown.
Parlor Pizza Bar will open its second location in Wicker Park at 1824 W. Division St. on Friday, June 10. ( The first site is in the West Loop. ) Offerings will include specialty pizzas such as Great Balls of Fire ( San Marzano tomato sauce, beef and pork meatballs, Molinari pepperoni, house giardiniera, parmesan and fresh mozzarella ) and the Hawaii Pie-O ( fresh mozzarella, smoked mozzarella, speck, grilled pineapple and pickled chilies ), among others. See ParlorChicago.com .
The recently rebranded The Gwen, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Chicago, ( 521 N. Rush St. ) announced Top Chef contestant Angelina Bastidas as chef de cuisine of new dining concept Circa restaurant and lounge as well as outdoor terrace Upstairs at The Gwen. Born in Bronx, New York, and raised in Miami, Bastidas competed during season 13 of the hit Bravo TV show Top Chef ( the youngest chef to compete in the show's history ). See TheGwenChicago.com/cuisine.
Argo Tea has collaborated with Kefiplant to offer tea and wellness enthusiasts freshly made, custom Kombucha concoctions. Quebec-based Kefiplant uses a patented fermentation process that packs the "live" culture with probiotics, enzymes, organic acids, antioxidants and other metabolites to create its signature kombucha. Kombucha is now available in all Argo Tea cafes in Chicago and New York as well as other participating locations through June, in three different sizes: small ( $3.95-$4.45 ), medium ( $4.45-$4.95 ) and large ( $4.95-$5.45 ), and are 25-113 calories.
The Hampton Inn Chicago Downtown/North Loop/Michigan Ave., 68 E. Wacker Pl., has exclusively partnered with Revolution Breweryand there will be a one-year anniversary party Thursday, June 9, 4:30-7:30 p.m. at the hotel's Jack's Place. Guests can enjoy Revolution Brewery all year round with the Anti-Hero and Fist City, which will be offered throughout the year in addition to seasonal offerings. See HamptonChicago.com .
Gene & Georgetti Rosemont, 9421 W. Higgins Rd., continues to host happy hour with the Prime Time Bar Menu, available Monday-Friday at 4-6 p.m. Menu items include filet bearnaise, prime rib sandwich, mussels and fries, and cottage fries with melted blue cheese, among other items. There are also musical guests throughout June, including Andrew Blendermann ( June 11 ), Gino De Luca ( June 18 ) and Joel Barry ( June 25 ). See GeneAndGeorgetti.com .
Raised, An Urban Rooftop Bar, 1 W. Wacker Dr., is offering brunch on Sundays. Some of the items include bagel chips and lox, chorizo hash, a muffin basket and Chicago lobster rolls. See RaisedBarChicago.com .
This June 6-12, restaurants and bars around the world will be participating in Imbibe Magazine and Campari's annual Negroni Week, serving up their own version of the popular Italian aperitif with portions of sales going to their charity of choice. Nando Milano Trattoria, 2114 W. Division St., is participating; made with a splash of Ramazzoti Amaro liquor and a Sicilian blood-orange garnish, a portion of the proceeds from Nando Milano's Negroni Scuro will benefit Imerman Angels.
Chop Steak House, 1017 S. Delano Ct., is partnering with the Near South Loop Planning Board to host the official festival kick-off of the Printers Row Lit Fest on Friday, June 10, 6-9 p.m. Guests will be offered a prix fixe dinner menu, two cocktails and the opportunity to meet Jacqueline Camacho Ruiz, author of popular books including The Fig Factor as well as The Little Book of Big Secrets That Work. Tickets are $35 each; see https://www.eventbrite.com/e/near-south-planning-board-chop-present-its-lit-lit-fest-kickoff-party-tickets-25525946794?aff=es2.
Elixir Lounge, 3452 N. Halsted St., will host a fundraiser on Saturday, June 11, 4-6 p.m., to benefit The Ride for AIDS Chicago and Team to End AIDS ( T2 ). A suggested $10 donation will be collected at the door, going directly to both charities benefitting people living with HIV and AIDS. The donation will also get each guest one free Altos Tequila cocktail and one free well drink ticket. Head mixologist Chad Schayes will also donate all his tips.
TWO, 1132 W. Grand Ave., will host a pop-up brunch service on Sunday, June 12, at 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m. The restaurant, normally open for dinner service only, will serve breakfast items by Executive Chef Kevin Cuddihee and Pastry Chef George Kovach. Attendees can expect to see items such as bacon brioche cinnamon rolls, lobster Benedict, and hot chicken & waffles, in addition to a full brunch cocktail menu by Beverage Director Graham Crowe. Reservations are encouraged; call 312-624-8363.
The U.S. Pizza Museum, created by pizza enthusiast and collector Kendall Bruns, is teaming with The Nerdologues Presents: Your Stories to curate a pizza-themed live show, "A Slice of Life," free to the public on Wed., June 15, at 8 p.m. at Dimo's Pizza Six Corners, 1615 N. Damen Ave. Visit uspizzamuseum.com/events/ .
Imperial Lamian, 6 W. Hubbard St., will feature signature dim sum dishes like the rainbow xiao long bao basket, Vegetable Spring Rolls, Siew Mai, Har Gao and more for Father's Day ( June 19 ). The brunch also features made-for-Dad items such as the Black Pepper Beef and Su Chaofan and Wagyu Ox Tail Fried Rice ( complete with a fried egg ). Father's Day Dim Sum Brunch takes place 10 a.m.-1 p.m. and reservations can be made via OpenTable.
This Father's Day, Sunday, June 19, Hard Rock Cafe Chicago is partnering with Blue Man Group again. For $70 per person, guests will enjoy one of two Blue Man Group performances at Briar Street Theatre at 4 p.m. or 7 p.m., plus a meal before or after the show at Hard Rock Cafe. Hard Rock's prix-fixe menu includes items such as the Hard Rock Legendary Burger, Tupelo Chicken Tenders and Twisted Mac & Cheese, among others. See HardRock.com/chicago.
For Father's Day, June 19, the Langham Chicago hotel will offer a complimentary Manhattan with each tea service ( $70/person ) at Pavilion, featuring a selection of sandwiches such as the mini prime steak burger with roasted onion mayonnaise and the crab Louis salad with black truffle pretzel sandwiches, followed by chocolate cigars, bourbon brownies and others for dessert. Reservations can be made between 3-5 p.m. by calling 312-923-7705 or visiting LanghamHotels.com/chicago.
The Signature Room Executive Chef Cardel Reid will have an all-day gourmet brunch buffet for Father's Day weekend, featuring a made-to-order omelet station, assorted charcuterie, chilled seafood and more. The price is $50 per adult, $25 for children under 12, and free for children under 3. Visit SignatureRoom.com .
For Father's Day Brunch, Bistronomic, 840 N. Wabash Ave., will offer a special two-course menu for $25 per person, or $40 if a guest would like to indulge in a bottomless mimosa as well. The price of Father's Day Dinner is $39 per person for a three-course meat-focused option. The Father's Day Brunch and dinner menus will be available Saturday, June 18, and Sunday, June 19. Brunch will be 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. and dinner will begin at 5 p.m. on both days. See Bistronomic.net .
Blackwood BBQ, 962 W. Belmont Ave., recently introduced craft beer into its line-up, and in celebration it's offering "Happy Hour for a Month" through June 19. Specials include $2.50 "tall boy" 16-oz. cans ( regularly $2.50-$5 ) and $3.50 draft pints ( regularly $4.50-$5 ), with featured beers from Moody Tongue, Off Color, Bells, Revolution, Two Brothers, Half Acre, Pabst, Tighthead and Spoetzl.
Wine and wardrobes: Seven Lions, 130 S. Michigan Ave., invites guests for an intimate wine tasting Wed., June 22, 6-7:30 p.m., with owner and Master Sommelier Alpana Singh, along with Drew Harris of Shop Your Closets. Over hors d'oeuvres by Executive Chef Patrick Russ, Harris will give tips on how to get the most out of your wardrobe, featuring de-cluttering techniques, styling tips, and go-to organization rules for any closet. Tickets are $45 each, visit seven-lions.ticketleap.com/seven-lions-wine& .
Berwyn restaurant Autre Monde, 6727 W. Roosevelt Rd., is hosting a collaborative culinary event with four Chicago-area restaurants for a Friends of James Beard Dinner on Thursday, June 23, at 6:30 p.m. Host Chefs and Autre Monde Executive Chefs Dan Pancake and Beth Partridge will team with Chicago's chefs, including James Beard Award Winner Chef Tony Mantuano of Spiaggia, Chef Danny Mejia of mfk, Chef Cameron Grant and Aldo Zaninotto of Osteria Langhe, Dave and Meghan Miller of Baker Miller, and CH Distillery. Tickets are $175 each; call 708-775-8122.
Doug Sohn announced his lineup of Hot Doug's sausages for Dog Dayz of Summer, June 24-25 at Goose Island Barrel Warehouse, 605 N. Sacramento Ave. Some of the varieties will include Spicy Thai Chicken, Veggie Dog, Bacon "BLT," Ribeye Steak and Jamaican Jerk Pork. ( Clap Your Hands Say Yeah and The Claudettes will provide some of the musical entertainment. ) Tickets to three weekend sessions are currently on sale at DogDayzOfSummer.com .
The 15th installment of The Local Tourist's AlphaBeer www.AlphaBeer.com will take place Saturday, June 25, 6-9 p.m., and return to A. J. Hudson's Public House, 3801 N. Ashland Ave. AlphaBeer features 26 beersone for each letter of the alphabetand many knowledgeable beer industry experts who will give a full lesson on each beer. Attendees must be 21 and over, and tickets are now on sale for $50 per person; see AlphaBeer.com .
Devon Seafood Grill, 39 E. Chicago Ave., is hosting an exclusive four-course wine dinner showcasing fine pairings from Two Hands Wines on Wed., June 29, at 6 p.m. Some of the culinary offerings will include spinach-stuffed crimini mushrooms, char crust scallops, coriander-crusted duck breast and peanut butter-and-jelly bread pudding. Tickets are $75 each; call Tim Sherlock at 312-440-8660.
Square Roots, a craft beer and music experience, returns to Lincoln Square July 8-10 with more than 50 acts on four stages, and 30 regional craft brews paired with Lincoln Square restaurants and local artisans. See SquareRoots.org . There are suggested donations of $10 for adults, $5 for seniors/kids and $20 for families; proceeds support both Old Town School of Folk Music and Lincoln Square Ravenswood Chamber programs.
The Florentine has brought back picnic baskets for gourmet al fresco dining in the city. Options include the Ciao Bello Date Basket ( $65 ) and the Italian Summer in the City Basket ( $40 ). To purchase one of The Florentine's picnic baskets, call the restaurant at 312-660-8866 at least three hours prior to requested pick-up.
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