—Cru love: Chicago Gourmet—which had a fashionable theme this year—concluded with several events on Sept. 28-29, including the centerpiece: Grand Cru.
Grand Cru, which took place on its annual perch on the Harris Theater rooftop, had two sessions, per usual. However, the daytime session urged attendees to dress in black while the evening one had people decked out in white.
On Sept. 28, there was a new event: Taste of Toronto, which took place in the Presidential Suite of the Fairmont Chicago—right around the corner from many of Chicago Gourmet’s activities. Toronto’s Fairmont Royal York Director of Mixology James Grant and Executive Chef Roland Torok-Ducharme provided intriguing tastes of Canada as attendees went on a tour of the Ontario city.
Harris Theater’s rooftop was also the site of the concluding session: the Sept. 29 brunch event Rise & Shine Gourmet, presented by Performance Foodservice and Kerrygold. Chefs Art Smith, Lorena Garcia and Jernard Wells hosted; CJ Jacobson (Aba/Ema), Fleetwood Covington (Seagar’s Prime Steaks & Seafood), Sarah Stegner (Prairie Grass Cafe) and Gene Kato (Momotaro/Itoko) were some of the participating chefs.
—French twist: Revered restaurateur Jason Chan has opened Gavroche (1529 N. Wells St.)—a boutique, 32-seat restaurant serving modern French cuisine in the heart of Old Town.
Chan first apprenticed to be a Chef at L’ Escargot in the famed Allerton Hotel on Michigan Avenue in 1984, and later transitioned to the front of house. Subsequently, as he opened highly acclaimed Chicago restaurants spanning a range of cuisines (among them Juno, Butter and Urban Union), he kept employing classic French techniques. The kitchen at Gavroche is helmed by Executive Chef Mitchell Acuña—a classically French-trained talent who has worked at the Michelin-starred BOKA, North Pond and Sixteen restaurants, among others.
Menu highlights include charred French radishes, served with salted butter, fennel pollen and warm demi baguette; Hamachi “Niçoise,” presented with egg yolk confit, seasonal vegetables, petite lettuce, pickled pearl onion and white anchovy vinaigrette; the King Louis Royale, a luxurious wagyu brisket burger with raclette, pickled red onion, arugula, black truffle aioli and toasted brioche, served with beef fat pommes frites; and more. Desserts include opera cake, chocolate mousse and a creme brûlée duet (under the eye of Pastry Chef Christine McCabe).
—Dining for a cause: “Chicago Chefs Cook for Jasper and Florida with Chef Art Smith” will take place Oct. 6, 5-8 p.m., at Chicago Q, 1160 N. Dearborn St.
It will be an evening of BBQ and treats from chefs across Chicago. Enjoy small bites and an open bar, and help support those impacted by Hurricane Helene, including those living in Smith’s hometown of Jasper, Florida.
Net proceeds from this event will benefit World Central Kitchen, an organization on the ground providing aid for those in need across Florida; and Operation BBQ Relief, which is distributing hot meals to those in Jasper in the wake of recent devastation. Buy tickets here. (BTW, 100% of donations are tax-deductible, and $50 of each pre-event ticket and $75 of each at-the-door ticket is tax-deductible.)
—Dining for a cause, part two: The Abundance Setting—which supports working mothers in the culinary industry—will hold its “It Takes a Village” celebration fundraiser on Monday, Oct. 7, 5:30-9:30 p.m., at eden, 2734 W. Roscoe St.
Participating chefs will include Abundance Setting co-founders Johnny Clark and Beverly Kim (Anelya, Parachute HiFi), Ken Polk (Batter & Berries), Joe Flamm (Rosemary, BLVD), Paul Kahan (One Off Hospitality), Sarah Stegner (Prairie Grass Cafe) and Devon Quinn (eden), among others. The Lactation Network is sponsoring the event. RSVP here.
El Tapeo’s paella de mariscos. PR photo
—A special time: Oak Brook spot El Tapeo, led by award-winning Chef William Bothell, has announced a series of unique food and drink specials, experiences and discounts this season.
First, there will be a “Golden Hour” at 4-6 p.m. each weeknight. There is a selection of five tapas for $60 or six for $70 every day. Mondays feature $10 off any Paella, $7 glasses of house sangria and $6 select Tito’s cocktails; on Tuesdays, glasses of wine are half-price; Wednesdays offer half-price martinis; Thursdays are ‘Ladies Night Out’ with a complimentary charcuterie board with any purchase, a gift certificate raffle at 7 p.m., and half-price bottles of wine; and Fridays feature $6 Effen Vodka cocktails.
—A fashionable outing: Chicago Fashion Week announced the full lineup of events running Oct. 9-20. The event calendar includes more than 50 fashion shows and presentations, award programs, retail marketplaces, gala celebrations, educational programs and more.
One that might be of interest to SAVOR with Andrew readers is “Create vs. Consume: A Culinary Fashion Experience,” which is slated to take place Oct. 11, 6-9 p.m., at the Stan Mansion, 2408 N. Kedzie Blvd.
According to a press release, “This multi-sensory experience hosted by Chicago Fashion Coalition at Stan Mansion explores the intersection of culinary and sartorial artistry, inviting guests to confront striking parallels between craftsmanship and consumption. Attendees will witness cutting-edge fashion designs, interactive displays and instantly purchasable garments.” It sounds pretty cool to me.
—Fall in: A sure sign of autumn, Apple Fest 2024 (hosted by Virtue Cider) will take place in Ferndale, Michigan.
The event will take place Oct. 12-13 and will feature a pig roast, face-painting, games, music, a guided tasting and more. Guests older than 21 have the option to delve into the world of cider making with founder Gregory Hall and Virtue’s cidermakers on a production tour.
—Blood ties: It’s rare that you hear of a cafe hosting a blood drive, but it’s happening in Springfield on Oct. 12.
The Illinois Eagle, an LGBTQ+-focused nonprofit, is joining forces with next-door neighbor Stella’s Tea & Coffee as the latter is hosting the event. Both businesses are working with ImpactLife for the blood drive. In 2023, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) updated the guidelines on blood donation to be more gender-inclusive, individual risk-based questions to reduce the risk of transfusion-transmitted HIV. Appointments can be scheduled by calling 800-747-5401 or visiting www.bloodcenter.org.
—Fab collab: On Sunday, Oct. 13, at 8 p.m., Chef Noah Sandoval of two-Michelin-starred Oriole and Chef Rodney Staton of Lardon will come together for a unique four-course dinner benefiting the Yes, Chef! Culinary Camp, a program by the Foundation for Culinary Arts. The event will take place at Lardon, 2200 N. California Ave.
Guests will enjoy three savory courses and a decadent dessert while knowing that proceeds will directly support underprivileged CPS high school students in their culinary education and development. Tickets are $125 each, and fees include tax and gratuity. RSVP here.
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—HELLO!: Drop me a line (hot news, tips, etc.) at future3733@yahoo.com.
—GIVEAWAY!: “I’ll be there for you!” We know what show that line is from: Friends.
Now I’m giving away one copy of Friends: The Complete Series, which is on 4K Ultra HD. This ultimate collector’s set includes more than 110 hours of content—including all 236 original broadcast episodes released for the first time in 4K Ultra HD, plus more than 20 hours of extra features (including all-new bonus content)!
All you have to do to qualify is to be a paying subscriber (for less than $5/month) to either SAVOR for Andrew (future3733.substack.com) or Pop-Eds (Andrew449.substack.com). The deadline is Tuesday, Oct. 15. Good luck!
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