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Three Culinary Aficionados You Should Know

Staff — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 16:47:01 +0000

Traditionally, the term ‘foodie’ has referred to renowned chefs, culinary masters and other notable gourmets but there is an entirely new sector of foodie culture that includes the up-and-comers of the culinary world. From sommeliers and pastry chefs to restaurateurs and agriculture phenoms, these individuals are some of the country’s most prominent experts of food and drink. Here are a few foodies you should know:

Stephen Hamilton: Food photographer extraordinaire Stephen Hamilton is truly gifted when it comes to capturing the essence of edibles. Working in his natural light-filled West Loop studio, Stephen is insistent on using only real food when snapping photos. His love food and interest in the culinary arts can also be seen in his blog “The Restaurant Project” in which he asses dishes from Chicago’s best restaurants by both taste and aesthetics. Hamilton’s photographic work has been featured in high-profile projects such as Art Smith’s Back to the Family cookbook, and throughout the chef’s residence on the hit Bravo television show Top Chef. Hamilton’s ‘foodie status’ was recently raised when he was asked to be a guest judge on the upcoming season of Top Chef Masters airing in April. For more information, visit www.stephenhamilton.com.

Bridget Albert: Known for straightforward recipes, bright flavors and innovative use of fresh ingredients, renowned mixologist Bridget Albert designs cocktails for the top restaurants, bars, hotels and lounges in the state of Illinois. Among her high profile projects include the recent design and execution of the cocktail program for the new Trump International Towers in Chicago. After studying under master mixologist Tony Abou-Ganim, Albert went on to become the Illinois chapter Chariman of the United States Bartenders Guild, a master mixologist at Southern Wine and Spirits of Illinois and Director of the Academy of Spirits and Fine Service. Bridget is author of the book Market Fresh Mixology, which was released in 2006. For more information, visit here.

Sara Vivenzio: Former professional cheese monger and founder & Director of The Cheese School of San Francisco, Sara Vivenzio is considered a renowned expert on domestic and artesian cheeses. After working as the primary cheese buyer for San Francisco’s leading specialty cheese retailer, Cheese Plus, Vivenzio opened The Cheese School of San Francisco in 2006 with the mission of helping people maximize their enjoyment and appreciation of cheese through structured education and informal tasting events. The Cheese School of San Francisco is the nation’s only independent institution of its kind and offers curricula for students of all types ranging from regular food enthusiasts to food service and culinary professionals. Vivenzio has built a staff of experts in all things cheese including the science behind cheese and wine pairings, procurement and categorization and classification of cheeses from around the world. For more information, visit here.

Pamela Fitzpatrick: She’s been called an “Old World Bread Goddess” but Pamela Fitzpatrick didn’t start her career in the food industry. After years in the world of corporate advertising, Pamela decided to try her hand at something else – bread making. Her first foray into the culinary world was a 5-year gig at La Brea Bakery in Los Angeles where she worked on perfecting her craft of bread making. It was a call from famed restaurateur Rich Melman that persuaded Fitzpatrick to move to Chicago to help Melman expand his Corner Bakery franchise. Fitzpatrick quickly made a name for herself and was one of the first people hired at Fox & Obel Food Market in 2000. For the past 10 years, Fitzpatrick has been in charge of the bakery at Fox & Obel in addition to creating specialty and gourmet breads for restaurants like Everst, Brasserie Jo and Jimmy Bannos’ The Purple Pig. For more information, visit here.

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Twitter All Around Town

Staff — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 18:55:08 +0000

I am always looking for foodies on Twitter. So naturally I was really excited when I stumbled across this list of Chicago chefs, restaurants and bakeries. This list of Chicago foodies is great because it will help you to stay even more in touch with the food scene in Chicago. Be sure to go through and add them to your personal twitter along with chicagofoodblog to keep apprised of the food events in town!

Check out the full list here

Chicago chefs, restaurants and bakeries on Twitter

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Chicago Food Tours by Chicago Food Planet Food

Staff — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 12:58:16 +0000

Ever wish you could get a guided tour of Chicago’s local food scene or wish you could call up a friend in Chicago for help finding all the best eats? Well, that tour and that friend is Chicago Food Planet. Chicago Food Planet Food Tours operate in Downtown Chicago neighborhoods, near tourist attractions including Navy Pier, Grant Park, Millennium Park, Michigan Avenue, Hyde Park, Chicago River, Field Museum and Sears Tower.

For more information on booking a tour click here

Here are some pictures from a tour:

For more information = http://www.chicagofoodplanet.com

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Beef and Irish Stout Stew

Staff — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 02:36:17 +0000

Since it is March I was in the mood for Mom’s traditional Irish stew. I remember loving the delicious flavors of the beef mixed with all the unique spices. So in the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day, this month, we wanted to celebrate the culture of the Irish. Below is a recipe for traditional beef and Irish Stout Stew. This recipe was found at allrecipes.com. Hope you enjoy!

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)

2 pounds lean beef stew meat
3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 pinch cayenne pepper
2 large onions, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 1/2 cups Irish stout beer (e.g., Guinness)
2 cups chopped carrot
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley for garnish

For DIRECTIONS Visit http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Beef-and-Irish-Stout-Stew

Picture by Nefarious Kitty

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Whats Your Fav Chicago Burger?

Staff — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 01:04:23 +0000

Next week we will be providing you a Top 5 list of the best hamburgers in the Chicago area. Please send us all of your favorites and assist us in compiling the Top 5 hamburgers in Chicago!

staff@chicagofoodblog.net

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Chicago Restaurant Week

Staff — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 01:45:02 +0000

Chicago Restaurant Week: Special Prices at Phenomenal Restaurants

Looking for something fabulous to spice up your week? Consider visiting one of the 130 restaurants participating in Chicago Restaurant Week. Participating restaurant are offering three course lunch specials for $22 and three course dinners for $32. Restaurant Week will be running until February 27th. For a list of all participating restaurants

For more information and a detailed list of all 130 restaurants visit
http://www.choosechicago.com

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