Chicago Gourmet Feeds Thousands, Tweaks Welcome
Images of rain-soaked, plywood-covered sod and cloudy skies seem like a distant memory. The Illinois Restaurant Association and Bon Appetit Magazine dialed up another stunning weekend for Chicago Gourmet, the two-day event held at Millennium Park that brings together the city’s top food, wine and spirits talent. After a Friday night Hamburger Hop competition, Saturday and Sunday proved to be warmer than normal, which may or may not have contributed to the large crowds, which, ultimately, meant some long lines.
This year, I had suggested to organizers that they add a few new elements in the Culinary Demo Tent, which included a few smack downs (fried chicken, ghost peppers) that pitted two chefs against each other and then had a pair of judges deliver their ruling. I also encouraged them to add some more ethnic food elements, since pulled pork sliders seem to be everyone’s de facto offering; the result was a couple of Ethnic 101 demos that featured a pair of chefs from different restaurants, such as Korean or Thai, showing off a classic dish and then answering questions about ingredient sources and local markets. Next year, however, they’ve got to move that demo stage, since it’s housed in a tent that resembles an army barracks, with the Stella Artois booth right next to it, and a dozen or so vendors’ booths as well. The noise level made hearing the demos somewhat challenging.
There were plenty of food booths this year, but again, for some reason, it seemed like the lines snaked every which way. It was nowhere near as bad as Year Two or Three, but something needs to be done next year (or maybe not, as it doesn’t seem to have slowed down demand from consumers). I’m not sure if it’s the layout or the actual attendance vs. capacity.
The demos at the Main Stage, meanwhile, are simply wonderful: civilized and easy-to-hear. Since there is nothing adjacent to the Pritzker Pavilion, attendees can easily hear and (mostly) see the mirrors above the cooktops.The chefs face the back of the stage, as opposed to the large, wide swath of chairs on the main deck, which offers a much more intimate experience. But this also provides an opportunity. Since the main stage (facing the lawn) is unused all day, why not use that space on alternating half-hours with the more intimate demos facing the back of the stage? This would alleviate the noise, lighting and sound issue at the Culinary Demo Tent, and would keep all of the demos, smack downs and Ethnic 101 seminars in roughly one place – Pritzker Pavilion – consolidating the prep area, and keeping the stage busy all day long. That other Culinary Tent, near the entrance to the Nichols Bridge, just south of the The Bean, could then become more of a marketplace, with local producers, restaurateurs and yes, even that Stella Artois booth with the maddening long line.
