You ART What You Eat!
Content Provided By Chicago Gourmet
It's Here! Time to start preparing for the culinary jackpot that is Bon Appétit presents Chicago Gourmet. This year, the ninth annual event returns to Millennium Park September 23-25 with a brand new theme – Food is Art! Use Your Palate. All weekend, big time chefs will bring their culinary art to life with exotic flavors and tantalizing tastings, all surrounded by premier wine, spirits, and beer tastings and vibrant, temporary art installations embedded throughout the park. If you aren't already a foodie and an art lover, there are only two words:
Brace. Yourself.
"We are championing art on all levels—in the kitchen, in the studio, on screen and throughout the city," explains Sam Toia, President & CEO of the Illinois Restaurant Association, which founded and produces Chicago Gourmet. "Through partnerships with EXPO Chicago, the Art Institute of Chicago and others, we've had a lot of fun exploring the parallels – it's fresh and different and a new take we think attendees will love!"
A throng of culinary giants, including Todd English, Stephanie Izard, Art Smith, Jose Garces, Jeff Mauro, Sarah Grueneberg, Tony Mantuano and more join Chicago Gourmet's first-ever Host Chef Rick Bayless. Don't miss the chance to snap (or Snapchat) a selfie during their cooking demos, which take place on two impressive culinary stages designed by Thermador, Instagram-worthy in their own right.
"It's a weekend full of mind-blowing bites, outrageously tasty drinks and good people," says Chef Bayless, who worked in tandem with event organizers to curate this year's programming. "That it takes place in picturesque Millennium Park is only icing on this one-of-a-kind cake."
So what to expect? Between bite after delicious bite from endless tasting pavilions on the Great Lawn, explore a world of stylish, automotive perfection envisioned only by the fine folks at Lexus. From there, the BBQ, Beer & Bourbon Pavilion presented by COUNTRY Financial awaits your appetite in the South Promenade, with live music on the 93XRT stage to boot. And if that wasn't enough, the crew from Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits will stir things up with seminars and sips in the cocktail department, while tastings led by the country's leading Master Sommeliers will keep things fun. And fancy.
But wait! There's more. Events like the wildly popular Hamburger Hop, presented by Buckhead Beef and Blue Moon, and its official after-party Late Night Gourmet get the party started on Friday night. The next night, that Bayless guy is at it again with The Tao of Tacos, a global fiesta featuring 12 of his chef friends creating their versions of the world's tastiest taco. And then, channel your inner yogi on Sunday morning at Rise & Shine Gourmet, presented by KIND Healthy Snacks and United Healthcare, including sessions led by CorePower Yoga and brunch bites from leading chefs.
"Chicago Gourmet is epic," says Adam Rapoport, Editor in Chief of Bon Appétit magazine. "The food, the spirits, the wine, the chefs, the events, the energy – it's one of the weekends I most look forward to every year. Chicago is a city of all cities when it comes to its culinary scene and genuine hospitality. Every time I leave, it's rarely without planning my next trip back."
For more details and purchase tickets, visit www.chicagogourmet.org.
Now in its ninth year, Chicago Gourmet, the nation's premier culinary experience aimed at promoting Chicago's world-class culinary community, takes place September 23-25, 2016. It was created by the Illinois Restaurant Association to celebrate and honor both Chicago's culinary achievements and the creative vision of the chefs, Master Sommeliers, and wine-, spirit-, and beer-makers who participate. It also spotlights Chicago as an international culinary destination via its unparalleled epicurean talent. Chicago Gourmet would not be possible without the support of title sponsor Bon Appétit and presenting sponsor Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits, LLC.
