Bon Appétit presents Chicago Gourmet 2014 Stage Schedule

The seventh annual Bon Appétit presents Chicago Gourmet takes place in Millennium Park Sept. 27-28. It offers a schedule of programming designed to showcase Chicago’s culinary talent, deliver the latest epicurean trends and to satisfy the hungry minds (and stomachs) of attendees.

In the beginning, I listed the restaurants, chefs, sommeliers, etcetera. This foodie event has grown too big for me to continue that practice and there are so many other details for you to check out so here is the link.
For a complete list of restuarants click here.

Two days of food from favorite and famous restaurants; wine and spirits tastings courtesy of Southern Wine and Spirits of Illinois; beer sampling; celebrity chef demos; educational seminars; book signings, culinary competitions and more. Attendees have the chance to rub elbows with hundreds of culinary and beverage experts.  including Bon Appétit magazine’s Editor-in-Chief Adam Rapoport and Restaurant and Drinks Editor Andrew Knowlton, more master sommeliers than ever before and renowned chefs like Carla Hall, Morimoto, Rick Bayless, Tony Mantuano, Stephanie Izard, Mindy Segal, Jeff Mauro, Takashi Yagihashi and Carlos Gaytan.

THE BON APPÉTIT MAIN STAGE LINEUP
 SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 27

12-12:30 p.m.	Mexican Takeover Rick Bayless (Frontera Grill/Topolobampo/XOCO), Carlos Gaytan (Mexique)
1-1:30 p.m.	Simple Meal Ideas from the Late Summer Farm Harvest Stephanie Izard (Girl & The Goat/Little Goat Diner), Jamie Bissonnette (Coppa)
2-2:30 p.m.	The Whole Fish  Masaharu Morimoto (Japonais by Morimoto)
3– 3:30 p.m.	Carla’s Comfort Foods: Favorite Dishes from Around the World  Carla Hall (“The Chew”)
3:45- 4:15 p.m.	Chicago’s Classic Italians Jeff Mauro (“Sandwich King”), Tony Priolo (Piccolo Sogno/Piccolo Sogno Due)
4:30-5 p.m.	James Beard Award Winners Jimmy Bannos Jr. (The Purple Pig), Justin Aprahamian (Sanford Restaurant)
5:15-5:45 p.m.	A Classic Chicago Roast Tony Mantuano (Spiaggia/Terzo Piano/Bar Toma/River Roast), John Hogan (River Roast), Jimmy Bannos (Heaven on Seven/The Purple Pig)

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 28

12:30- 1 p.m.	Pastry Pillars Michelle Gayer (Salty Tart), Della Gossett (Spago Beverly Hills)
1:30-2 p.m.	Chicago’s Top Restaurateurs Donnie Madia (One Off Hospitality), Rohini Dey (Vermilion), RJ Melman (Lettuce Entertain You), Rob Katz and Kevin Boehm (BOKA Restaurant Group)
2:30-3 p.m.	Trans Atlantic Experiments Sergi Arola (Arola), Homaro Cantu (Moto)
3:30-4 p.m.	A Trotter-Inspired Dish Graham Elliot (graham elliot/g.e.b.)
4:30-5 p.m.	Culinary Travel Inspiration Bill Kim (bellyQ/urbanbelly/Belly Shack), Mindy Segal (Mindy’s Hot Chocolate) WHAT’S NEW IN 2014

Primetime Pavilions

BBQ Pavilion, in partnership with the Illinois BBQ Alliance: Including Chicago q, Bub City, Old Crow Smokehouse, Sweet Baby Ray’s, Smoque BBQ and others.

Green City Market Pavilion: Featuring Farmhouse Craft Tavern, 2 Sparrows, CICCHETTI, Spritzburger, Karyn’s on Green and more.

Centennial Pavilion (in celebration of the Illinois Restaurant Association’s 100th Anniversary): Featuring Mike Ditka’s Chicago, Gibsons Restaurant Group, The Signature Room at the 95th, The Berghoff, Italian Village and others.

Neighborhood Pavilion: Featuring Hash House A Go-Go, Nana, Autre Monde Café and Spirits, Marion Street Market, The Chop Shop and more.

Mariano’s Pavilion: Featuring Trenchermen, Three Dots and a Dash, Piccolo Sogno Due, The Bristol, Three Aces, The Radler and others.

Street Eats. Travel the world at the newly added Global Street Food Market, developed in collaboration with Chicago’s Sister Cities, located in the South Promenade. Featuring internationally-loved foods from China, Ireland, Africa, Columbia, and 11 of Chicago’s sister cities, highlights include offerings from Bolat, K-Kitchen, Shokolad Pastry & Café, Vermilion, Red Butter, Spencer’s Jolly Posh Foods and several others. The Global Street Food vendors share the pavilion with breweries, a newly added entertainment stage and an artisan market presented by Artizone featuring Chicago vendors selling their wares.

Craft on Draft. Beer geeks can ‘hop’ their way through the festival, and enjoy a refreshing offering of craft brews. Stella Artois, Goose Island, Lagunitas Brewing Company and New Belgium will be on hand to present pairings, tastings and extensive beer knowledge to interested attendees.

Glittering Grand Cru. The ultimate food and wine experience, the Grand Cru, offers attendees the opportunity to taste more than 90 of the finest wines in the world, as chosen by the event’s impressive and largest line up of Master Sommeliers. During these select tastings, each day from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Harris Theater Rooftop, these leading wine experts will pour, present and discuss their picks.

Beard-Worthy Bites. Guests holding a golden ticket to the Grand Cru will also indulge in food pairings from the James Beard Foundation’s elite. Heralding from restaurants championed both locally and throughout the United States, the talent includes esteemed chefs recognized by the James Beard Foundation. Visiting chefs have been paired with a Chicago-based counterpart who will present a side-by-side showcase.

Tickets: ChicagoGourmet.org.

To follow: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Elizabeth J. Musgrave writes two magazine food and wine columns: Destination Dining and White Linen & Corks,and is a travel, features, food and wine writer, travel and food photographer, and performing arts and restaurant critic. Catch her as the Travel & Leisure Adviser on FOX59 Morning News Show. She also is a speaker, consultant and trainer for hospitality, travel and luxury businesses, P.R., and tourism groups, as well as a radio and television guest and host. Follow her on Twitter @GottaGo, LinkedIn and Facebook.

Chicago on a Budget

Millennium Park

Prioritizing while planning a trip helps in determining a budget. This list is even more relevant if the location you are going to has numerous options, like Chicago. Knowing what's most important helps decide where to trim spending in order to have money for deal breakers. If food is not the high priority, but a live theater performance is an absolute must, checking out the eatery menus online can determine where to eat for less in order to have the must-haves.

If shopping is your dream, then stay in a nearby hotel and walk to the shops. With the economic downturn, attractions, hotels and eateries are all offering more budget-friendly packages and discounts than ever before, so now truly is a great time to travel. Much like a favorite movie which never grows old, Chicago always presents unknown treasures upon every visit. This trip proved no different.

Lodging

The Palmer House Hotel

The Palmer House, built by Potter Palmer as a wedding gift to his wife, Bertha, is one of the few remaining grand hotels. Its opulent entry with Tiffany 24-Karat gold chandeliers has been named Chicago’s "Best lobby." Viewing the hotel’s architecture is worth a trip in itself. In its 135-year history, in addition to numerous U.S. presidents, the hotel has been visited by Oscar Wilde, Charles Dickens and Prince Charles, just to mention a mere fraction of the list of who’s who. Entertainers, including Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong have graced the stage in the Golden Empire Room.
Old World atmosphere, authentic décor and furnishings, world-class service and a proud history make this historic landmark the backbone of Chicago.

Special packages, some including city passes, mean staying in the heart of shopping, theater and museums, including the Art Institute of Chicago, is budget possible. Valet parking specials or parking at Millennium Park garage create more savings. Park and walk for a tighter budget or grab a taxi if the budget allows.

Eating Right
Chicago dining always proves pleasurable, perhaps even sinful at times. Being treated to four eateries meant
finding great food for every budget.
The Village, Chicago’s oldest restaurant, and one of three owned and housed by the Capitanini family, at the Italian Village building is fashioned after an Italian outdoor café. Located on the top floor, the menu offers familiar favorites. Stay on a fixed budget with sandwiches and pizza or take a small step up to the still reasonably-priced entrees, including the tender chicken Marsala. Make sure to ask for Mo, the waiter’s

Vivere'

captain, whose charisma and personalized service made me feel as if I was his only concern in the world.

Street-level Viveré serves upscale modern Italian cuisine when fine-food dining is top priority. For smaller budgets, stop in for lunch size portions. With Michael Taylor, wine director and Chef Robert Reynaud treating me to one gourmet food and wine course after another, it would be difficult to recommend only one. However, Reynaud’s pan-roasted duck breast with almond-plum pudding and spiced-Port reduction, coupled with Taylor’s choice of an ‘05 Chianti Classico, stood out as a combination which may be next to impossible to find elsewhere. Each food and wine combination showcased the knowledge, experience and pride accumulated over the years and shared with patrons of this award-worthy establishment.

The Grand Lux Café offers up more than 150 menu items personally selected by David Overton, who traveled throughout Europe finding the recipes. The Crispy Caramel Chicken entrée is generous enough for two, helping with the budget, but delicious enough that I wasn’t sharing. The spicy Thai sauce, red chilies

Grand Lux

 and ginger make this one of the restaurant’s signature dishes. Other money savers are soups, salads, sandwiches and lunch specials for less than 10 bucks. If money allows, the must-not-miss items are the desserts, baked to order and delivered piping hot from the oven and large enough to share. The New Orleans Beignets, served with three dips, are heaven in a basket.

The breakfast buffet at Palmer House’s Lockwood restaurant is, quite simply, the most elegant and all-compassing breakfast buffet I have ever encountered. Well worth the higher price, staying on track is possible by eating enough at this luxurious buffet that only a light lunch, if any, would be required.

Little Extras

Architectural Tour

Tours are always a great way to see a town, and Chicago has them for every budget, including free. While in town, I caught the Untouchable tour of Chicago gangsters. From Capone to Dillinger, costumed guides shared the riveting details. For the minimal cost, it is worth checking into. I also found the 90-minute architectural boat tour worth the money. Complimentary neighborhood tours are offered by volunteers wanting to show visitors their great city.

In short, adjusting the budget to ensure your highest priorities are achievable by checking into all options before heading out the door. Get your money’s worth by utilizing tourism and business sites for discounts, and travel dollars will be maximized without sacrificing fun and adventure.

Elizabeth J. Musgrave is a syndicated columnist, travel writer, music, restaurant and theater critic. Catch her as Indy’s Arts & Entertainment Adviser on 93 WIBC and follow her on Twitter @ejmusgrave1 and Facebook. Gotta Go is published in the following newspapers: South Sider Voice, Indiana Weekender, New Palestine Reporter, Pendleton Times Reporter and Fortville-McCordsville Reporter.