Chicago Weekend Fun!

The Chicago Gourmet Festival (or the seriously fancy food show) brings the finest in foods, chefs, wines and housewares to the public downtown in Millennium Park on September 26th, 27th and 28th. This event is part housewares show, part celebrity gourmet cook instructional lesson and part wine tasting all in one. It makes sense though good food pairs well with fine wine and requires unique prep utensils and recipes to achieve. The Chicago Gourmet Festival would be the perfect place to bring your friend the “foodie” and the “wine snob” to socialize. I also think in a own economy people are saving money in some areas and spending it in comfort food and in enriching their experience at home. The Chicago Gourmet Festival offers new recipes and culinary skills which are a part of feathering the nest and keeping up with the Joneses at the same time.

The big draw to this event seems to be the Celebrity Chefs and Master Wine Sommeliers. Everyone from Chicago hometown fave Rick Bayless  will be there up close and personal to chat with and learn from. The Master Sommeliers for the Chicago Gourmet Festival are Frederick Dame, Alpana Singh, Joseph Spellman and Serafin Alvarado.  There will me many more celebrity chefs in each of the events that are not specifically listed. If you enjoy the food network and channel 11′s create channel you will love this event.

The ticket prices are a bit…well, pricey. It is $150.00 for a one day ticket pass and $250.00 for a weekend ticket pass. (not including parking) ( Use your American Express Card and this code for a 15% off discount CG2008DC) I would guess there is some cooking  that you get along with that (cook books, wine bottles and housewares) to make it worth that much money? Or maybe it is just about exclusivity and access to the celebrity chefs? You can get into the special event tents for other amounts of money if you know there will be a certain chef there that you want to see. The Grand Cru tastings are $175.00, the CIA Worlds of Flavor Pavilion is $95.00 and the Whole Foods Pavilion and the Seminars are each $30.00. (the most reasonably priced thing on the menu)  Tickets can be purchased through the chicagogourmet.org website online or at the door of the event if they have not sold out.

- The Schedule of Special events for the Chicago Gourmet Festival:

- Friday, September 26, 2008

The Opening Night Receptionon the Harris Theater Rooftop Terrace from 6:30 to 10:30 pm Tickets are $250.00. All the celebrity chefs and master sommeliers will be there.

- Saturday, September 27, 2008

The Chicago Gourmet Festival Opens in Millennium Park at 11 am and goes to 6 pm.

Grand Tasting Tents on the Great Lawn 11 am to 6 pm.

The Seminar Seriesat the Cultural Center, The Gage restaurant, or Pritzker Pavilion Choral Room times: 11 am to 5 pm. All the Master Sommeliers are presenting wine seminars including “Wine Pairing in Chicago’s Neighborhoods” by Channel 11 Check Please Host Alpana Singh, “Tasting Wine the Master’s Way” by Frederick Dame, “Syrah, A Global View ” by Joseph Spellman and “Exploring Eco Friendly Wines” by Serafin Alvarado.

Whole Foods Market Family Village in Millennium Park is open from 11 am to 3 pm. Tickets are only $30 bucks. the most affordable part of this event. (I bet you never thought you would hear the words “Whole Foods” and affordable in the same sentence) Whole Foods will still offer celebrity chef cooking demos and great samples.

CIA Worlds of Flavor Pavilion on the Harris Theater Rooftop Terrace 12 pm to 2 pm.This event features a latin flavor and decor as well as cooking demonstrations by Enrique Olvera, Chef and Owner of Pujol Restaurant in Mexico City, Norman Van Aken, Chef and Owner of Norman’s in Miami, and Coque Ossio, Chef and Owner of a consortium of restaurants in Peru.

Grand Cru Tasting on the Harris Theater Rooftop Terrace from 4 pm to 5:30 pm. This event features the top 50 finest wines in the world as selected by the Master  Sommeliers at the Chicago Gourmet Festival this year: Frederick Dame, Alpana Singh, Joseph Spellman and Serafin Alvarado.

- Sunday, September 28, 2008

Chicago Gourmet Festival in Millennium Park is open from 11 am to 5 pm.

Grand Tasting Tents on the Great Lawn open from 11 am 5 pm.

Seminar Seriesat the Cultural Center, The Gage restaurant, or Pritzker Pavilion Choral Room from 11 am to 5 pm. See the list above, the same wine tasting educational seminars are offered.

Whole Foods Market Family Village in Millennium Parkis open from 11 am to 3 pm. Tickets are $30.00.

CIA Worlds of Flavor Pavilion on the Harris Theater Rooftop Terrace is open from 12 to 2 pm. See the description from Saturday, the same Celebrity Chefs will be presenting and cooking. It was inspired by the Worlds of Flavor International Conference & Festival held annually in Napa Valley.

Grand Cru Tasting on the Harris Theater Rooftop Terrace is open from 3:30 pm 5 pm. See Saturday’s descriptions as the same sommeliers will be presenting the top 50 wines again at the Chicago Gourmet Festival.