With the threat of torrential thunderstorms looming overhead all weekend, everyone worried that Chicago Gourmet would get washed out this year. (We, on the other hand, hoped for a chef led mudslide to compete with the ones at Lollapalooza.) Instead, beyond some muddy pathways and the damp air, the weather mostly cooperated, leaving us to talk about the actual food and drink at the festival. For our first recap of the event, we decided to focus on the incredible number of chefs that were cooking over the weekend in Millennium Park. But first, how did the festival compare to last year?
In short, the event seemed well-run and a definite improvement over last year. Though there were still long lines, they seemed to move more quickly, which was probably due to the better layout.
Which didn’t mean that we were able to get around to see everything. The festival was way too massive to cover completely, and there were some moments when we couldn’t decide whether to sit and watch a demonstration by Stephanie Izard, or check the offerings of Tru’s Anthony Martin. Needless to say, it was a good problem to have.
The slideshow below is just a peek into what we witnessed. Let us know what you think.
The foodie festival took place in Millennium Park last weekend.
Photo: Eugene (Huge) Galdones/Huge Galdones/Galdones Photography 2011
Guests were able to get a first look at one of the dishes from his
hotly anticipated new restaurant,
Tavernita.
Photo: Eugene (Huge) Galdones/Huge Galdones/Galdones Photography 2011
Gresh managed to win over the crowd by passing around some sliders.
Photo: Eugene (Huge) Galdones/Huge Galdones/Galdones Photography 2011
The chef and owner of
Heaven on Seven knows a few things about the classic New Orleans recipe.
Photo: Eugene (Huge) Galdones/Huge Galdones/Galdones Photography 2011
The
North Pond chef talked, amongst other things, about the dangers of using a mandolin.
Photo: Eugene (Huge) Galdones/Huge Galdones/Galdones Photography 2011
The
Girl & The Goat chef smiled her way through a demonstration with
The Purple Pig chef Jimmy Bannos Jr.
Photo: Eugene (Huge) Galdones/Huge Galdones/Galdones Photography 2011
The chef of
GT Fish & Oyster gave a demo at the Buick Stage.
Photo: Eugene (Huge) Galdones/Huge Galdones/Galdones Photography 2011
Always looking for his next Twitter post, Bayless
tweeted this picture of Steve Dolinsky during a demo.
Photo: Eugene (Huge) Galdones/Huge Galdones/Galdones Photography 2011
The two teamed up for a “Death by Gumbo” cooking demonstration.
Photo: Eugene (Huge) Galdones/Huge Galdones/Galdones Photography 2011
The animated chef of
Henri doesn’t need water.
Photo: Eugene (Huge) Galdones/Huge Galdones/Galdones Photography 2011
Allen was there as the official “Food and Wine Ambassador for Robert Mondavi Private Selection.”
Photo: Eugene (Huge) Galdones/Huge Galdones/Galdones Photography 2011
We just learned last week that Beverly Kim (
Aria) is getting ready to compete in Top Chef: Texas.
Photo: Eugene (Huge) Galdones/Huge Galdones/Galdones Photography 2011
The
Province chef kept dishing out food for the crowds.
Photo: Eugene (Huge) Galdones/Huge Galdones/Galdones Photography 2011
The Purple Pig chef was all over the festival this weekend.
Photo: Eugene (Huge) Galdones/Huge Galdones/Galdones Photography 2011
