It's part of the Taste of Chicago's Mazda6 Celebrity Chef du Jour. Tickets, which are $40 and limited to four per person, go on sale Wednesday, May 15, 2013, at 10 a.m. at tasteofchicago.us.
Tickets for seats to see the concert headliners go on sale at the same time.
The dinners are held in an air-conditioned dining pavilion at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday-Friday, July 10-13, and brunch will be served at noon on Saturday July 13 and Sunday, July 14.
The schedule for the Mazda6 Celebrity Chef du Jour is:
Wednesday, July 10, 6:30 p.m. - Rick Bayless
Thursday, July 11, 6:30 p.m. - Carrie Nahabedian
Friday, July 12, 6:30 p.m. - Giuseppe Tentori
Saturday, July 13, Noon - Gale Gand and The Hearty Boys
Sunday, July 14, Noon - Paul Kahan
About the Chefs (RELEASE)
Author, television host, humanitarian Rick Bayless manages to still find time to be Bravo's Top Chef Master and one of Chicago's longtime acclaimed chefs. The multiple James Beard Award winner founded his side-by-side restaurants Frontera Grill and Topolobampo in 1987 and his empire has grown to include XOCO and Tortas Frontera located at O'Hare airport and in downtown Chicago at the Chase Building. Bayless prepares dinner for opening night of the festival, Wednesday, July 10.
After departing her position as Executive Chef of the Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills, Carrie Nahabedian returned to her native Chicago to open NAHA in 2000, which led to a James Beard Award and three consecutive Michelin stars. Nahabedian recently opened her latest restaurant, Brindille, along with partner and cousin Michael. While NAHA serves to highlight her Armenian roots, Brindille's refined Parisian fare celebrates her and Michael's favorite spots in Paris. She prepares dinner on Thursday evening, July 11.
Italy's loss is Chicago's gain as a 19-year-old Giuseppe Tentori completed his culinary studies in Milan and came to the United States to work at Gabriel's in Highland Park. After a stop in Salt Lake City, Tentori spent nine years perfecting his craft at Charlie Trotter's until 2008 when he became Executive Chef at BOKA Restaurant and a partner of the BOKA Restaurant Group. In 2011, Tentori opened his second restaurant, GT Fish & Oyster, named a Bib Gourmand annually while BOKA has earned a Michelin star annually since 2010. Taste dining patrons may enjoy a dinner prepared by Tentori on Friday, July 12.
Saturday at the Chef du Jour will feature three noted chefs for the price of one as Gale Gand and The Hearty Boys team up for a special meal. Gand is a partner and founding executive pastry chef at one star Michelin restaurant Tru and was recognized in 2001 as Outstanding Pastry Chef of the Year by the James Beard Foundation. She also hosted the first ever all-dessert show, "Sweet Dreams" for the Food Network which now airs on The Cooking Channel.
Joining Gand in creating the three-course brunch are Dan Smith and Steve McDonagh, The Hearty Boys. The original winners of "Search for the Next Food Network Star" and hosts of Food Network's "Party Line with The Hearty Boys", Smith and McDonagh now have their own Michelin recommended restaurant, Hearty, where classic American foods are contemporized for the modern palate.
Chef Paul Kahan will prepare lunch on Sunday, July 14. In addition to his 2013 award, Kahan is also the 2004 winner of the James Beard Best Chef of the Midwest. Kahan fostered his culinary career in his native Chicago, working in his father's delicatessen and smokehouse and then a 15-year apprenticeship in Erwin Drechsler's kitchens (Metropolis and erwin), eventually working for Rick Bayless. He opened Blackbird in 1999 and has since added The Publican, avec, Big Star and Publican Quality Meats. Publican's Chef de Cuisine Brian Huston will be creating the lunch with Kahan.
