Evanston: Brandon Baltzley’s Crux — which also includes Emmanuel Cadengo, Kevin McMullen, and Jaimee Vitolo — will be teaming with Longman & Eagle’s Jared Wentworth for a pop-up at Pensiero Ristorante on October 17. The menu will be based on the Apicius, which was apparently the first Roman cookbook. Reservations are $140 per person, with wine pairings for $60. Email Crux if you are interested. [Grub Street]
Lincoln Park: WBEZ is hosting this year’s Chicago Chef Battle on September 25 at the Goose Island Brewery Loading Dock. Participating chefs — including Jill Barron (Mana Food Bar), Chris Curren (Blue 13), Carlos Ysaguirre (Anteprima/Acre), Leonard Hollander (Marion Street Cheese Market), and Heather Terhune (Sable) — will attempt to create the best dish using one of Goose Island’s beers. Click here for more details. [Grub Street]
Gold Coast: Tickets are now available for the American Institute of Wine & Food’s wine auction to raise money for the Kendall College Culinary Scholarships. The event takes place on Sunday, October 2 at the Elysian Hotel. [Grub Street]
Loop: Rhapsody has just launched two seasonal specials. After work Tuesday through Thursday, the restaurant will offer a Rush Hour special, including $5 signature umbrella drinks on Tuesdays. Plus, on the second Wedneday of every month, pay $20 and you’ll be able to sample 10 different wines and snack on a selection of appetizers. Click here for more details. [Grub Street]
Mount Prospect: What’s stranger than a man breaking into a fast food restaurant only to get caught by the police trying to cook a meal? Well, how about the fact that the overweight man had to strip down to his underwear to slip through the security bars. Oh yes, there is a video. [KLTV]
Nashville: This is kind of unexpected: Stephanie Izard is the official executive chef of CMT’s second annual Artists of the Year event. [CMT]
River North Need some help with your bar? Jon Taffer, the host of Bravo’s Bar Rescue, which recently revamped The Green Room @ The Abbey, is hosting a Nightclub & Bar University workshop Tuesday, October 4th at the Holiday Inn Mart Plaza. For ticket information, click here. In other Bar Rescue news, the show was just picked up for a second season. [Grub Street]
