Green City Market Chef's BBQ Benefit July 21 in Lincoln Park

Join nearly 100 of Chicago’s premiere chefs from 5:30-8 p.m., Thursday, July 21, 2011 at the Green City Market (1750 N. Clark St., Chicago, Ill.) for the “True Taste of Chicago,” the Green City Market Chef's BBQ Benefit. The Chefs partner with the Green City Market farmers and producers to develop recipes that promote the bounty of fruits and vegetables currently available. In addition to food, locally made beer, wine, hand-crafted cocktails and non-alcoholic beverages will be available.

Online purchase of tickets is available on brownpapertickets.com through July 11 and at the Market information booth every Wednesday and Saturday. Tickets will not be available for purchase at the BBQ. All sales are final, no refunds or exchanges and no dogs are allowed at the event.

Ticket Prices:
Ages 12+: $100.00 (includes entry and all food/beverages)

Ages 12 and under: $25.00

VIP Tickets: $250.00 (Includes pre-event access at 4:30 p.m. and exclusive cocktails from 4:30-5:30 p.m.)

VIP Tables: $2,500.00 (The VIP Heirloom table is $2,500 and seats ten. VIP tables are not available online but can be purchased by calling the Green City Market office at 773.880.1266).

Don’t miss out on one of Chicago’s most unique and tastiest events of the year. It doesn’t get better than great food, drinks, music and the beauty of Lincoln Park on a summer evening in Chicago. The proceeds from the event support Green City Market’s educational programs and outreach initiatives.

Restaurants & Chefs Participating:
676: Chefs Daren Wardynski, Kevin Atkinson & Karla Zarate
Atwood Café: Chef Derek Simcik
Avec/Blackbird: Chefs Koren Grievson and Paul Kahan
Belly Shack/Urban Belly: Chef Bill Kim
Benny’s Chop House: Chef Jonathan Lane
Big Bowl: Chef Marc Bernard
Big Jones: Chefs Paul Fehribach, Mark Armantrout & Drew Swanson
Bin 36: Chef John Caputo
Bistronomic: Chef Martial Nougier
Blue 13/Elate: Chefs Chris Curren, Chris Davies & Mike Noll
BOKA: Chef Giuseppe Tentori
Branch 27: Chefs Katherine August & Cary Michael
Bristol: Chef Chris Pandel
Butcher and Larder: Chefs Rob & Allie Levitt
Café BaBa Reeba: Chef Tim Cottini
Capriole: Chefs Judith Schad & Sofia Solomon
Carnivale: Chef David Dworshak
Chilam Balam: Chef Chuy Valencia
City Provisions: Chef Cleetus Friedman
Coco Pazzo: Chefs Chris Macchia & Stephanie Mazzone
Convito Café and Market: Chefs Noe Sanchez, Nancy Brussat Barocci & Candace Barocci Warner
Custom House Tavern: Chef Bryce Caron
David Burke’s Primehouse: Chef Rick Gresh
Café des Architectes: Chef Greg Biggers
Dirk’s Fish: Chefs Dirk Fucik, Terry Fucik, Ayla Fucik, Dee Fucik & Amir Rafizadeh
Eli’s Cheescake: Chefs Jolene Worthington & Diana Moles
Elysian Hotel: Chefs Danny Grant & Jason McLeod
Foodlife: Chef John Chiakulas
Four Seasons: Chefs Kevin Hickey & Scott Gerken
Fox & Obel: Chef Pamela Fitzpatrick
Franks 'N' Dawgs: Chefs Alexander Brunacci & Joe Doren
Frontera Grill: Chef Rick Bayless
Girl and the Goat: Chef Stephanie Izard
Goose Island: Chef Andrew Hroza
Green Zebra: Chefs Shawn McClain, Jon DuBois & Mary Christie
Hot Chocolate: Chefs Mindy Segal & Aric Miech
Inovasi: Chef John des Rosiers
Kendall College: Chef Mitch Cavanah
Leopold: Chef Jeffrey Hedin
Limelight: Chef Rita Gutekanst
Lockwood: Chef Gregory Elliott
Lulu Café/ Nightwood: Chef Jason Hammel
Marion Street Cheese Market: Chef Leonard Hollander
Mighty Nice Grill
MK: Chef Michael Kornick
Mon Ami Gabbi: Chef Justin Dumcum
Naha: Chef Carrie Nahabedian
Nomi at the Park Hyatt
North Pond: Chef Bruce Sherman
Old Town Social: Chef Jared Van Camp
One Sixty Blue: Chefs Michael McDonald & Hillary Blanchard
Osteria Via Stato: Chefs David DiGregorio & Allison Gallese
Park Grill
Peninsula
Perennial Virant: Chefs Paul Virant, Scott Manley & Kenord Clarke
Prairie Grass Café/ Prairie Fire: Chefs Sarah Stegner & George Bumbaris
Prasino: Chef Todd C. Feitl
Province: Chef Randy Zweiban
Publican/Big Star: Chefs Paul Kahn, Brian Huston & Justin Large
Quince
Rhapsody: Chefs Dean Zanella & Danial Romero
Ritz Carlton: Chefs Mark Payne, Chuck Kazmer & Eric Estrella
Sable Kitchen & Bar: Chef Heather Terhune
Seedling: Chef Peter Klein
Sepia: Chefs Andrew Zimmerman, Emmanuel Nony, Carlos Velasquez, Kyle McElhinney, Charles Welch & Cindy Schuman
Signature Room: Chef Patrick Sheerin
Smoque BBQ/Ina’s: Chefs Barry Sorkin & Ina Pinkney
Snookelfritz: Chef Nancy Silver
Socca: Chef Roger Herring
Sola: Chefs Carol Wallack & Bob Bagley
Southern: Chef Cary Taylor
South Water Kitchen: Chef Roger Waysok
Café Spiaggia: Chefs Sarah Gruenberg, Erik Freeberg & Tony Mantuano
Sprout: Chef Dale Levitski
Sunday Dinner: Chefs Christine Cikowski & Josh Kulp
Tavernita: Chef Ryan Poli
Terzo Piano at the Art Institute: Chefs Tony Mantuano & Meg Colleran Sahs
The Bedford: Chef Mark Steuer
The Chopping Block: Chefs Shelley Young, Janet Kirker, John Peters & Nate Diss
The Gage & Henri: Chefs Dirk Flanigan & Michael Dean Reynolds
The Goddess and Grocer/Feast: Chef Debbie Sharpe
Three Floyds: Chef Mike Sheerin
Uncommonground-Clark St.: Chef Justin Martin
Uncommonground-Devon St.: Chef Chris Spear
Vie: Chefs Paul Virant & Nathan Sears
Wave: Chef Kristine Subido
West Town Tavern: Chefs Susan Goss & Drew Goss
Zealous/Du Champ: Chef Michael Taus

Restaurant Michael's "86 Hunger" Dinner Nov. 18

The holiday season is about giving back, and Michael Lachowicz and Restaurant Michael have joined forces with Rick Bayless of Frontera Grill/Topobampo/Xoco; Jackie Shen of Red Light and other talented chefs as part of the Greater Chicago Food Depository’s inaugural “86 Hunger” dinner series. The event unites chefs and guests in an effort to end hunger in the Chicago community.

Join Restaurant Michael in taking hunger off the menu with this special opportunity Wednesday, November 18 from 6 p.m. – 10 p.m. Tickets are $150 per person and can be purchased at http://tinyurl.com/yh86msz. This event is open to a limited number of guests, so be sure to purchase tickets early.

The Greater Chicago Food Depository, Chicago's food bank, is a nonproft food distribution and training center providing food for hungry people while striving to end hunger in the community. The Food Depository distributes donated and purchased food through a network of 600 pantries, soup kitchens and shelters to 500,000 adults and children in Cook County every year. For more information, log onto www.chicagofoodbank.org or call (773) 247-FOOD.

About Restaurant Michael
Restaurant Michael, located at 64 Green Bay Rd in Winnetka, Ill. 60093, serves classic haute cuisine in a contemporary presentation with French country flair. The restaurant is open for dinner Monday through Thursday 5:30 p.m. -10:30 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 5:30 p.m. -11:30 p.m.; and Sunday 4:30 p.m.-9 p.m. The restaurant is open for lunch Fridays 11a.m. -2 p.m. Complimentary parking is available. Major cards accepted. For more information or to make a reservation, call (847) 441-3100 or visit www.restaurantmichael.com.

Green City Market's Locavore Challenge Starts Tomorrow

It isn't too late to pledge to become a Locavore! Join Green City Market and other Chicagoans by committing to eating locally grown and produced foods for two weeks! The challenge starts tomorrow. Make a conscious effort to buy food from Illinois, bordering states and Michigan. Come to Green City Market's Town Hall meeting on Sept. 23 and enjoy local, prepared foods, share recipes with other Locavores and have your questions answered by the experts. Sign up at the market and pick up your Locavore kit, or download our pledge form and fax it to 773-880-1262.

Green City Market Annual Harvest Benefit

More about Green City Market... If you haven't had the opportunity to attend their annual Harvest Celebration, mark your calendar for September 13 and order your tickets now! This annual event is the swankiest of them all. The fabulous setting at the beautiful country estate and gardens of Bill Kurtis and Donna La Pietra in Mettawa, IL is only matched by the outstanding food and drink offerings by Chicago's top chefs and mixologists.

What you can expect? Chefs cooking flavorful local foods, the gardens, potager, tree house, the fire pit and the pond -- a true country feast showcasing the freshest, best tasting Green City Market products. It brings together camaraderie of the most passionate food environmentalists.

Chef participants include: Rick Bayless of Frontera Grill/Topolobampo, author/chef Gale Gand of Tru, Mark Mendez of Carnivale, Carrie Nahabedian of NAHA, Bruce Sherman of North Pond, Rita Gutekanst & Marguerite Lytle of Limelight, Sarah Stegner and George Bumbaris of Prairie Grass Cafe, Paul Virant of Vie and Randy Zweiban of Province. An array of exciting one-of-a kind culinary auction packages will be offered, all in support of the Market.

This year's packages include: A weekend getaway to Kentucky featuring a farm tour and dinner at Capriole Farm, A Farm dinner at Heritage Prarie in Geneva, Il - spend the weekend in their beautiful farmhouse and invite eight of your friends for a chef prepared dinner or brunch, a VIP Table at the Green City Market Chef BBQ in Lincoln Park (pre reception for you and your guests with celebrity chefs preparing hors d'oeuvres and cocktails), exclusive chef inspired events, cooking classes and more!

Ticket levels are:
Heirloom Benefactor level - two (2) tickets at $2,500.
Heritage Contributor level - one (1) ticket at $1,000
Market Patron level - one (1) ticket at $500
Market Supporter level - one (1) ticket at $250

This is a tax-deductible contribution to Green City Market, a 501(c)3 not for profit organization, less $100 (cost of the dinner), per ticket. For more information, please call 773-880-1266 or visit here to reserve your tickets. Capacity is very limited for this special event. Reservation deadline is Friday, September 11th, 2009 or while tickets last.

Green City Market Harvest Celebration
Sunday September 13, 2009
4:30 p.m. until 7 p.m.

My Golden Birthday with Kurman at Topolobampo

Tuesday was my 25th birthday, and lucky for me, the Kurman gang treated me to lunch at one of my favorite spots—Topolobampo! The best part? We got a special visit from none other than culinary extraordinaire and proprietor Rick Bayless.

Bayless’s recent win on Top Chef Masters meant that Topolobampo and sister restaurant Frontera Grill were packed with eager diners excitedly anticipating Bayless’s famed Mexican cuisine. The beautiful dining room was impressively packed on a Tuesday afternoon.

We each ordered an appetizer, a main course and a dessert, which is not something I usually do. But I really wanted to try as much as I could. Everything on the menu had my mouth watering.

Our appetizers arrived, and Cindy’s Sabana de Jitomates, thin slices of locally grown heirloom tomatoes from Topolobampo’s rooftop garden, was one of the most colorful dishes I’ve ever seen. She said that it tasted even better than it looked, and it looked darn good.

We moved on to our main course, and Stephanie’s Tacos de Pescado, Baja-style fish tacos with mahi mahi prepared two ways with homemade lime mayo, fresh tortillas, pea tendril salad, avocado-tomatillo salsa, pickled vegetables and lime-Corona “air” looked too delicious not to snap a quick photo.

Lee’s main course, Barbacoa de Pato, featured Gunthorp duck two ways: seared breast and slow-braised leg barbacoa, with braised garbanzos, tomatillo-avocado salsa, verdolagas salad, and topped off with pan juices. Yum!

As for my main course, I was completely saciated with my order of Cuatro Cositas Oaxaqueas, the Oaxacan sampler, featuring an empanada with chicken and yellow mole, grilled Oaxacan chorizo, grilled red chile shrimp and cochinita pibil.

Cindy ordered Chilaquiles de Guajillo y Frijo Negro, a vegetarian option, a torta of shiitake-filled chilaquiles, served with black bean sauce, homemade crema, crispy white onion and cilantro. She was concerned that the dish would be too hot, and our excellent server assured her that it was spicy, not too hot. Attentive, she stopped by to make sure that everything was in order and to our liking. It was, and so much more.

I'm glad that we took so many photos of the food. We were all soon members of the "clean plate club."

The food was great; don't get me wrong. But for me, the highlight of the meal was when Rick Bayless himself stopped by our table after we finished our main course to say hello! He even wished me a happy birthday, and after talking Twitter and social networking with us, he graciously posed for several photos.

My friends and family have asked me if he’s just as nice as he appears on television, and everyone at Kurman can wholeheartedly declare, yes! He's the real deal.

It was a birthday I won’t soon forget.

James Beard Foundation nominees announced

In case you missed the announcement (from Chicago's own Frontera Grill) earlier this week, the James Beard Foundation, the nation's most prestigious recognition program honoring professionals in the food and beverage industries, announced the nominees for the 2009 James Beard Foundation Awards. Susan Ungaro, James Beard Foundation President, hosted an invitation-only breakfast at JBF Award-winning chef Rick Bayless' and JBF Trustee Deann Bayless' highly-acclaimed Frontera Grill, where nominees in 52 categories were announced in the Foundation's various awards programs -- Restaurant and Chef, Book, Journalism, Design and Graphics, and Broadcast Media. Honorees in a number of special achievement awards, including Who's Who of Food & Beverage in America, Lifetime Achievement, Humanitarian of the Year, and America's Classics, were announced as well. For the complete list of nominees, please visit www.JBFAwards.com.

Highlights from this year's list of nominees include:

Outstanding Restaurant: Babbo (Chef/Owner: Mario Batali, Owner: Joe Bastianich, New York, NY); Boulevard (Chef/Owner: Nancy Oakes, Owner: Pat Kuleto, San Francisco, CA); Fore Street (Chef/Owner: Sam Hayward, Owners: Victor Leon and Dana Street, Portland, ME); Highlands Bar & Grill (Chef/Owner: Frank Stitt, Birmingham, AL); Jean Georges (Chef/Owner: Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Owner: Phil Suarez, New York, NY); Everest (Chef/Owner: Jean Joho/Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises)

Outstanding Chef: Jose Andres (Minibar, Washington, D.C.); Dan Barber (Blue Hill, New York, NY); Tom Colicchio (Craft, New York, NY); Suzanne Goin (Lucques, Los Angeles, CA); Paul Kahan (Blackbird, Chicago, IL) and Jean Joho (Everest, Chicago, IL)

Rising Star Chef: Nate Appleman (A16, San Francisco, CA); Sean Brock (McCrady's, Charleston, SC); Johnny Monis (Komi, Washington, D.C.); Gabriel Rucker (Le Pigeon, Portland, OR); Michael Solomonov (Zahav, Philadelphia, PA); Sue Zemanick (Gautreau's, New Orleans, LA)

Best New Restaurant: The Bazaar by Jose Andres at SLS Hotel at Beverly Hills (Chef/Owner: Jose Andres, Owners: Sam Narian and Philippe Starck, Los Angeles, CA); Corton (Chef/Owner: Paul Liebrandt, Owner: Drew Nieporent, New York, NY); L2O (Chef: Laurent Gras, Owner: Richard Melman, Chicago, IL); Momofuku Ko (Chef/Owner: David Chang, New York, NY); Scarpetta (Chef/Owner: Scott Conant, New York, NY)

In addition, some of the special achievement award recipients include:

Who's Who of Food & Beverage in America: David Burke (Chef, Entrepreneur, New York, NY); John T. Edge (Journalist, Director, Southern Foodways Alliance, Oxford, MS); Betty Fussell (Author, Culinary Historian, New York, NY); Dorothy Cann Hamilton (Founder, The French Culinary Institute, New York, NY); Clark Wolf (Clark Wolf Company, New York, NY)

America's Classics: Breitbach's Country Dining (Owner: Mike Breitbach, Sherrill, IA); Totonno's (Owner: Lawrence Ciminieri, Brooklyn, NY); Mustache Bill's Diner (Owner: Bill Smith, Barnegat Light, NJ); Yank Sing (Owner: Vera Chan-Waller, San Francisco, CA); Arnold's Country Kitchen (Owners: Jack and Rose Arnold, Nashville, TN)

Other Chicago area nominees include:
Outstanding Restaurateur: Rich Melman, Lettuce Entertain You
Outstanding Pastry Chef: Jimmy MacMillan, Avenues at the Peninsula Chicago and Mindy Segal, Mindy's HotChocolate Chicago
Outstanding Wine Service: Avenues at the Peninsula Chicago and Bin 36
Outstanding Service: Courtright's and Spiaggia
Best Chef-Great Lakes: Suzy Crofton, Crofton on Wells; Christophe David, Nomi at the Park Hyatt; Curtis Duffy, Avenues at the Peninsula Chicago; Kendal Duque, Sepia; Koren Grieveson, Avec; Michael Maddox, Le Titi De Paris; Martial Noguier, Cafe des Architectes; Arun Sampanthavivat, Arun's; Bruce Sherman, North Pond; Giuseppe Tentori, Boka; and Paul Virant, Vie

Winners of the Restaurant and Chef, Book, Design and Graphics, and special achievement awards will be celebrated at the highly-anticipated annual Awards Ceremony and Gala Reception, taking place on Monday, May 4, 2009 at Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall. The Awards Ceremony and Gala Reception are open to the general public, and tickets can be purchased by calling the Awards Box Office at 212.925.0054 or by visiting www.JBFAwards.com. General public tickets are $450, but the James Beard Foundation is offering an "Early Bird Special" $50 ticket buyer discount from March 23rd - April 4th. The Journalism and Broadcast Media Awards will be presented at the invitation-only Media Awards Dinner on Sunday, May 3, 2009 at the Hudson Theatre in midtown Manhattan. All award winners will receive a certificate and a bronze medallion engraved with the James Beard Foundation Awards insignia. There are no cash awards.

Established in 1990, the James Beard Foundation Awards recognize culinary professionals for excellence and achievement in their fields and continue to emphasize the Foundation's mission: to celebrate, preserve, and nurture America's culinary heritage and diversity. The 2009 James Beard Foundation Awards will celebrate Women in Food. A highlight of the May 4th festivities will be the Gala Reception, which will take place following the Awards Ceremony at Avery Fisher Hall, featuring a line-up of some of America's most noteworthy female chefs, sommeliers, mixologists and artisanal producers. Lidia Matticchio Bastianich, acclaimed chef, restaurateur, television personality, cookbook author and multiple James Beard Foundation Award-winner, will serve as the honorary Gala Chair. As Gala Chair, Ms. Bastianich will work with the Awards Committee in the menu selection of the culinary talents featured at the Gala Reception.

The 2009 James Beard Foundation Awards are presented in association with All-Clad Metalcrafters and American Express(R) (the official card of the James Beard Foundation); Premier Sponsors: Green & Black's(R) Organic Chocolate, Lexus, Viking Range Corporation; Supporting Sponsors: Delta Air Lines, illy caffe North America, Inc., Southern Wine & Spirits of New York, Stella Artois; Gala Reception Sponsors: Acqua Panna(R) Natural Spring Water, Ecolab, Pernod Ricard USA, Rums of Puerto Rico, S.Pellegrino(R) Sparkling Natural Mineral Water; and with additional support from Chefwear and Pommery Champagne.

Want to attend the party?

The fabulous James Beard Award celebration on May 4 carries at hefty ticket price of $400 but if you act fast, you can take advantage of the Foundation's $50 discount for tickets purchased by April 4, go to http://www.jbfawards.com/JBFform.html for information and reservations.

About the James Beard Foundation

The James Beard Foundation is dedicated to celebrating, preserving, and nurturing America's culinary heritage and diversity in order to elevate the appreciation of our culinary excellence. A cookbook author and teacher with an encyclopedic knowledge about food, James Beard, who died in 1985, was a champion of American cuisine. He helped educate and mentor generations of professional chefs and food enthusiasts. Today, the Beard Foundation continues in the same spirit by administering a number of diverse programs that include educational initiatives, food industry awards, scholarships to culinary schools, and publications, and by maintaining the historic James Beard House in New York City's Greenwich Village as a performance space for visiting chefs. For more information, please visit www.jamesbeard.org.

SOURCE The James Beard Foundation

Sunday Supper at Chelsea Market March 29

We at Kurman Communications couldn't help but spread the word about this terrific event taking place in NY on Sunday, March 29. Many of Cindy's friends from the James Beard Foundation and Women Chefs and Restaurateurs are participating. If you're available, you should plan to attend. The lineup is awesome and features many of our country's best chefs including Chicago's Rick Bayless, Gale Gand and Tony Mantuano.

Celebrate the First Annual Sunday Supper at Chelsea Market
To benefit the James Beard Foundation and Robert Fulton House's Culinary Scholarships

Sunday, March 29, 2009
7-11pm at Chelsea Market
75 9th Avenue New York, NY

Host Chefs: Amy Scherber, Amy’s Bread,
Sarabeth Levine, Sarabeth’s Bakery, and
Anne Quatrano, Bacchanalia
Reception: Mary Cleaver, The Cleaver Co.

Family style courses and a selection of fine wines featuring chefs from:
*Joel Antunes, The Oak Room, NYC; Nate Appleman, A 16 and SPQR, San Francisco;
Rick Bayless, Frontera Grill and Topolobampo, Chicago; Michelle Bernstein,
Michy’s and Sra. Martinez, Miami;
Sean Brock, McCrady’s, Charleston, SC; Rebecca Charles, Pearl Oyster Bar, NYC;
Mary Cleaver and Brent Sims, Green Table, NYC;
John M. Currence, City Grocery, Oxford, MS;
Shaun Doty, Shaun’s, Atlanta; Justin Eisenberger, Walter Foods, NYC;
Gale Gand, Tru, Chicago;
Alexandra Guarnaschelli, Butter Restaurant, NYC; Kurt Gutenbrunner, Wallsé, NYC;
Richard Hanson, Cleonice Mediterranean Bistro, Ellsworth, ME;
Patti Jackson, Centrovini and i Trulli, NYC;
Anne Kearney, Rue Dumaine, Dayton, OH; Melissa Kelly, Primo, Rockland, ME;
Sarabeth Levine, Sarabeth’s, NYC; Anita Lo, Annisa and Bar Q, NYC;
Margaritte Malfy and Barbara Sibley, La Palapa Cocina Mexican, NYC;
Tony Mantuano, Spiaggia, Chicago; Akhtar Nawab, Elettaria, NYC;
Ken Oringer, Clio Restaurant, Boston;
Jesse Perrin, Redbird Provisions, Northeast Harbor, ME;
Nora Pouillon and Benjamin Lambert, Restaurant Nora, Washington, DC;
Anne Quatrano, Bacchanalia, Atlanta; Andrea Reusing, Lantern, Chapel Hill, NC;
Missy Robbins, A Voce, NYC; Amy Scherber, Amy’s Bread, NYC;
Tryg Siverson, Friedman’s Lunch, NYC; Ryan Skeen, Irving Mill, NYC;
Holly Smith, Cafe Juanita, Seattle;
Ryan Tate, Savoy, NYC; Bill Telepan, Telepan Restaurant, NYC; John Tesar; Allison Vines-Rushing, MiLA, New Orleans;

Price: $220
20% Discount for JBF Members
For more information and online reservations
visit: www.jamesbeard.org, or call 212.627.2308
JBF members use code CMJBFB09 for member price

*Chefs and Sponsors listed are confirmed as of press date*

Green City Market Offers First Year-Around Market

Green City Market is kicking off its first-time year-around market, starting January 17 and running through April 18, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. every first and third Saturday at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, 2430 N. Cannon Dr. The market is located in its South Gallery.

The coming season will feature sustainable, heirloom and ark products in an effort to restore agricultural biodiversity. Along with offering fresh, local produce, the Green City Market plans to have themes for each market day with a special culinary event featuring and promoting local farmers and producers and the chefs who work closely with them. This will include tastings that highlight products available at the market.

The market will host the Snout to Tail event 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday, January 17, showcasing Green City Market pork.

Participating chefs providing tastings include:

Rick Bayless - Frontera Grill and Topolobampo
Troy Graves - Tallulah and Eve
Paul Kahan - Blackbird, avec and The Publican
Mark Mendez - Carnivale

Sarah Stegner and George Bumbaris - Prairie Grass Cafe
Paul Virant - Vie
Gary Wiviott - author of the upcoming book Low and Slow: Mastering the Art of Barbeque in Five Easy Lessons

Mark your calendar for these upcoming Green City Market events:

Saturday, February 7 and Saturday, February 21, 2009: Meat and potatoesSaturday,

March 7 and Saturday, March 21, 2009: Artisanal cheese

Saturday, April 4 and Saturday, April 18, 2009: Bacon and eggs

Admission is free, but RSVPs will be required. If you'd like to attend, e-mail admin@chicagogreencitymarket.org.

Green City Market Country Harvest Celebration and Auction Photos Available

If you couldn't attend the fabulous Green City Market benefit Sunday, Sept. 7, you missed the best benefit of the season. The beautiful Mettawa home of Bill Kurtis and Donna LaPietra was transformed into a foodie paradise with some of Chicago's best chefs sharing their favorite seasonal foods with us. Check out the photos here.

Was it luck or was it Abby? The weather could not have been any better. I know that Abby was looking down with her million dollar smile. As always, she would have been so proud. While GCM is still wrapping up numbers, the event generated more than $100,000 - an incredible testament to all of the hard work of the Green City Market staff, board, supporters and friends. A big shout out to LaPietra and Kurtis who made this incredible event possible by supplying the perfect setting. Event Co-Chairs, LaPietra, Peggy Crowe and Sarah Stegner tapped all of their friends and resources to make this happen; and Rita Gutekanst and her team from Limelight Catering provided elegant service and food under the superb direction of Limelight's chef Brian Shustrick and the guest chefs, a literal who's who of Chicago's culinary scene including, GCM board members Sarah Stegner (with partner George Bumbaris, Prairie Grass Cafe), Rick Bayless (Frontera Grill/Topolobampo) and Bruce Sherman (North Pond). Other participating Chef market supporters included Terry Crandall of the Peninsula Hotel, Gale Gand of Tru/Tramonto's Steakhouse, Kevin Hickey of Seasons at the Four Seasons Hotel, Amalea Tshilds and Jason Hammel of Lula Cafe, Paul Virant of Vie and Dean Zanella of 312 Chicago . Thanks to Nacional 27 mixologist Adam Segar for the yummy cocktails and to all of the wine and liquor suppliers who helped to make all of the the delicious libations possible. The 150 plus guests thoroughly enjoyed the evening, and the event ran flawlessly.

Photos Above:
Mettawa home of Donna LaPietra and Bill Kurtis

Cindy Kurman and Sarah Stegner

Donna LaPietra and Virginia Gerst
Photos Below:

Deann, Lanie and Rick Bayless
Rita Gutekanst and Jeanne Pinsof Nolan

Rick Bayless, Terry Crandall and Art Smith
Bill Kurtis leads tour of the grounds

Don't miss Green City Market's Harvest Celebration at Kurtis / LaPietra Mettawa Home

It's not too late to get your tickets for the Green City Market Harvest Celebration Honoring Market Founder Abby Mandel! The event is this Sunday, September 7, from 5:30-8:00 pm at the Mettawa home and gardens of Bill Kurtis and Donna LaPietra. For those who have never been to the Kurtis home, this is a once in a lifetime chance. It's beautiful and the grounds are unbelievable. There is a dazzling lineup of chefs, and the auction items are incredible! This is Green City Market's major fundraiser for the year. For more information, and to purchase tickets online, go here.

Photo: Donna LaPietra with Green City Market Founder, the late Abby Mandel, at event in 2006.

The Harvest Celebration features chefs:
Rick Bayless of Frontera Grill/Topolobampo
Terry Crandall of the Peninsula Hotel
Gale Gand of Tru/Tramonto's Steakhouse
Kevin Hickey of Seasons at the Four Seasons Hotel
Bruce Sherman of North Pond
Brian Shustrick of Limelight Catering
Sarah Stegner & George Bumbaris of Prairie Grass Cafe
Amalea Tshilds and Jason Hammel of Lula Cafe
Paul Virant of Vie
Dean Zanella of 312 Chicago

Photo: Praire Grass Cafe Chef /Owners

Sarah Stegner and George Bumbaris

Enjoy Bill Kurtis' guided tram tours around the acclaimed 75-acre grounds of Mettawa Manor in its late summer glow...through the prairie, woodland paths and along its formal garden borders.

Fantasize about an array of exciting one-of-a-kind culinary auction packages, all specially created in support of Green City Market. All proceeds benefit Green City Market, a 501(c)3 organization.

Ticket Prices are as follows:

Market Star-$5000
Market Angel - $1000
Market Patron - $500

Market Supper - $250
Go here to order tickets.



Cindy Kurman with Chef Gale Gand; Bill Kurtis with Alderman Vi Daley

Please phone the Market office at 773-880-1266 for information.

Rick Bayless to be inducted into the Chicago Culinary Museum and Chefs Hall of Fame

Renowned chef and culinary icon Rick Bayless will be inducted into the Chicago Culinary Museum and Chefs Hall of Fame on Wednesday, August 27 in a ceremony from 5:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. at the Palmer House Hilton, 17 E. Monroe St. in Chicago. Bayless is the third recipient of this prestigious Chefs Hall of Fame award, following the inaugural induction of Chef Charlie Trotter in 2006 and last year's recipient Chef Jimmy Bannos.

Tickets for the event, featuring a cocktail reception, silent auction, awards presentation and Wandering Feast, are $175 per person ($200 at the door). Tickets may be purchased on line at: www.brownpapertickets.com/event/38403.

In case you haven't heard of the Chicago Culinary Museum (I hadn't until I received an email from my good friend Cary Miller, the guru from Food Industry News,) it's a dynamic project supported by Mayor Daley, Jesse White, and just about every who's who in Chicago's culinary world, with the hopefully not so long term goal of building a permanent Culinary Museum in downtown Chicago. It's the brainchild of chefs John S. Castro and Chef John W. Kaufmann. Kudos to them for undertaking this mammoth project which will certainly solidify Chicago as the culinary world leader and keep us the dining destination for all worldwide.

The proceeds from this event will be used towards that end, and on the shorter term, for funding temporary exposition space. The money raised will also go to funding traveling expositions and the museum's educational lecture programs. You can read more about the museum, event and Rick Bayless in our press release at: August 27 Culinary Museum Press Release.