Foodie Fridays: Celebrity Chefs + Food + Wine = Trifecta Of Events In Chicago!

Girl & The Goat's Stephanie Izard & QVC's David Venable

Chicago is fast out-pacing New York as a world-class culinary city.  The past two weeks have brought some of Chicago's top chefs out to showcase their skills and benefit worthy organizations as well.

Wednesday, November 9th,  Jeff Black brought the Celebrity Chef Tour to Chicago. Hosted by NBC-5 Chicago's own LeeAnn Trotter, the event featured a fabulous eight-course meal with wine/spirit pairings. Proceeds from the event will benefit the James Beard Foundation. 

Celebrity Chefs Jonathan Beatty (Davanti Enoteca) , Dirk Flanigan (The Gage), Ben Roche (Moto), and Mercat de la Planxa's Cory Morris were on hand to explain the dishes they prepared. 

Mixologist Mike Ryan (Sable Kitchen & Bar) also impressed the crowd with his "Board of Directors" drink during the cocktail hour; guest also took a shine to the "Gluhwein" Dirk Flanigan paired with his Lincoln Square dish!

Monday, November 14th, Food & Wine magazine hosted its annual Entertaining Showcase at the Museum of Contemporary Arts on  the Mag Mile.

This event brought out another crop of creme de la creme chefs including Girl & The Goat's Stephanie Izard (pictured above) and QVC Host David Venable (also pictured above) to bring attendees insider knowledge of how to kick their entertaining skills up a notch!

Other celeb chefs included Grant Achatz and Dave Beran (Next) Sarah Grueneberg and Tony Mantuano (Spiaggia),  Andrew Zimmerman (Sepia) and Chris Pandel (The Bristol).

 

Also, on November 14th,  Tequila Don Julio held a launch party for tastemakers at Gallery 1028 to showcase the new Don Julio 70 - the world's first Anejo Claro (aged clear tequila). Chef Phillip Foss (MeatyBalls and the forthcoming venture El) teamed up with mixologist Fred Sarkis (Sable Kitchen & Bar) to put together a four-course meal paired with hand-crafted Don Julio cocktails.

The event was hosted by Tequila Don Julio Chicago Ambassador, Sonia Sotello.

Photo credits:  Celebrity Chef Tour - C-Style Magazine
Photo credits:  Food & Wine Entertaining Showcase - Louis Byrd Photography
Photo credits:  Tequila Don Julio 70 Anejo Claro Chicago Launch Dinner  - Chuan D. Vo for the Don Julio Company