Chicago Gourmet Festival 2017 Review – Pop The Cork, Pop The Cork-We’re 10!

Here I am "eating" Chicago Gourmet's Barella Pasta with a huge spoon!
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Time surely flies when you’re having fun in Millennium Park. Bon Appétit presented Chicago Gourmet which celebrated ten years in 2017 (can you believe it?) and everyone was invited to the party!

 

 

Maybe I “ate” too much pasta?

 

Celebrating 10 years of decadence!

 

A hungry crowd waits in long lines for food and drink samples.

 

There was the fabulous main food event that Saturday. Chefs such as Curtis Stone, Carla Hall, Graham Elliot, Stephanie Izard and more hosted lively cooking demos, wine & cocktail seminars, book signings, and amazing tastings from the best restaurants, wineries, spirits purveyors, and breweries. Anniversary surprises were around every corner, including special toasts, party favors, photo ops, and more.

 

Bon Appetit Magazine food samples.

 

A volunteer serving mac and cheese.

 

The party was even bigger this year with a weeklong anniversary celebration. The “eXtraordinary Chefs – eXtraordinary Places” collection featured 10 cool parties in iconic Chicago locations including a Rick Bayless dinner on The 606 Trail, a Mindy Segal dance party atop the Willis Tower, and an all-star team of chefs serving up twists on classic ballpark fare under the lights at The Park at Wrigley.

 

Guests relaxing with wine enjoying the beautiful sunny day.

 

This was my fifth year attending and reviewing Chicago’s best food and drink festival. Each year has promised great food, great drink and great chefs. But for the 10th anniversary, there were parties happening for an entire week, September 19-24th.

I attended the main event on Saturday, September 23rd. As in previous years, there was Bon Appetit Magazine’s food and drink recipe samples, such as sharp cheddar mac and cheese with white truffle oil (choice of toppings with chives, caramelized onions, panko breadcrumbs, pork belly or shrimp).

 

Sharp cheddar mac and cheese with white truffle oil (choice of toppings with chives, caramelized onions, panko breadcrumbs, pork belly or shrimp).

 

This year there were twice as many tasting pavilions, showcasing even more amazing chefs than previous years. Chicago’s 312 offered strangolapreti (homemade spinach dumplings with duck confit, cherries and porcini mushrooms), Bottlefork Bar and Kitchen had delicious and creamy truffle potato salad (great vegetarian option for me!), Mariano’s provided its usual delicious gelato selections (voted best gelato in America), and Mama’s Boy Peasant Kitchen had delectable and soft homemade chocolate ice cream rolled cake.

 

312’s strangolapreti (homemade spinach dumplings with duck confit, cherries and porcini mushrooms).

 

Bottlefork Bar and Kitchen’s creamy truffle potato salad.

 

Mariano’s gelato.

 

Mariano’s gelato. Yum!

 

Mama’s Boy Peasant Kitchen’s homemade chocolate ice cream rolled cake.

 

Other newer dining establishments created interesting food combinations such as Ema’s grilled cucumber salad (one of my favorite dishes of the event), Flo and Santos’ amazing roasted mushroom and asparagus perogies (another favorite of mine), Bombay Wrap’s Decadence Tasting Menu (vegetarian samosas with potato and peas, served with spicy cilantro and sweet tamarind chutney; cold and creamy mango/coconut lassi smoothies), Honey.com’s selection of premium honeys (orange blossom, blueberry, buck wheat and alfalfa), plenty of tasty Barilla pasta salads and the beloved Stan’s Donuts. Stan created a succulent yet unusual limited edition donut called “buttered popcorn,” which was out of this world!

 

Ema’s head chef, Eli Jackson.

 

Ema’s grilled cucumber salad.

 

Flo and Santos’ roasted mushroom and asparagus perogies.

 

Bombay Wrap’s Decadence Tasting Menu (vegetarian samosas with potato and peas, served with spicy cilantro and sweet tamarind chutney).

 

Honey.com

 

Barella Pasta serving pasta salad.

 

Stan’s Donuts limited edition buttered popcorn donut—delicious!

 

The buttered popcorn donut had a creamy buttered, cheesy filling!

 

Besides a wide variety of food samples, there were endless tents of fine beverages and spirits to try as well. With my 10th Anniversary wine glass in hand, my top choices were Glenlivet’s Special Reserve Scotch, Benziger Family Winery (2014 Sauvignon Blanc Northcoast-crisp and dry to the palate), Tyku’s selection of flavored sakes, a fabulous 2015 dry white wine from New Zealand’s Oyster Bay Vineyard, Napa Valley’s Red Mare 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon (wonderfully fruity and robust), a cold and refreshing cocktail from the Northshore Distillery with lemon zest, the always fantastic selection of Rishi teas, and a new twist of theirs, refreshing craft ice tea brew sparkling teas.

 

My 10th anniversary commemorative wine glass.

 

Glenlivet’s Special Reserve Scotch.

 

Benziger Family Winery (2014 Sauvignon Blanc Northcoast).

 

New Zealand’s Oyster Bay Vineyard, Napa Valley’s Red Mare 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon.

 

New Zealand’s Oyster Bay 2015 Chardonnay.

 

Rishi’s new craft ice tea brew sparkling teas.

 

Rishi Teas.

 

I must say the 10th anniversary of Chicago Gourmet was quite the celebration. It showcased the finest chefs, sommeliers and restaurants of 2017! I look forward to seeing what 2018 has in store.

 

 

 

To find out more information about Chicago Gourmet 2017 and upcoming events, please visit their website.

 

 

Photos: Jennifer Lunz

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