‘ MODERN’ FOODIE ON THE WAY
While here for Beard Awards, Ferguson plans to sample Alinea
Sorry for the obvious pun, but “Modern Family” star Jesse Ty
ler Ferguson certainly has a strong tie to Chicago.
The actor has partnered his Tie the Knot organization with Lincoln Park- based The Tie Bar, which distributes the bow ties ( and other accessories) sold to support Ferguson’s charity. Tie the Knot was co- founded by the openly gay Ferguson in 2012 to advocate for marriage equality. Now that it’s the law of the land in the United States, the actor said in a recent phone call the group’s focus is to “protect marriage equality and to raise awareness and support LGBTQ equality throughout the world.”
In honor of the actor’s upcoming role hosting the James Beard Awards here Monday night, Ferguson and his team at tietheknot. org have created a special black bow tie with subtle outlines of chef- oriented designs, including a whisk, wooden spoon, rolling pin, butcher’s knife, spatula and the like.
As for the Beard Awards, Ferguson said he was excited to have been asked to emcee the evening, considered the Oscars of the culinary world. “I am an observer from the outside, an appreciator and a consumer, but I love that they’re trusting me with emceeing the
Beard Awards,” said the entertainer, who does co- host with good friend and veteran food writer Julie Tanous a food blog at jessetylerferguson. com/ food.
Ferguson refers to himself as “a late bloomer” when it comes to cuisine. “It really kind of started when I moved to New York City at age 21 — where I was exposed to different ethnic foods and flavors that I hadn’t experienced growing up in Albuquerque,” said the actor, now based in Los Angeles. “Because I did grow up in New Mexico, I was familiar with lots of different Mexican foods and bold flavors, but I had never tried Indian food or sushi or things like that. I came to New York as a sort of sheltered kid, and trying to keep up with all the cool kids in New York, I bravely would eat things like tikka masala and vindaloo, and eating raw fish on rice — which opened up my palate.”
Because of his connection to Chicago’s The Tie Bar, Ferguson and his husband,
Justin Mikita, visit the city frequently and have come to love the city’s art and architecture and well- established, excellent food scene.
While in town to host the Beard Awards, the couple will finally get the chance to dine at Grant Achatz’s famed Alinea restaurant. “I don’t think giving them my name was enough [ to get the reservation]. I literally had to mention that I was hosting the James Beard Awards, and said, ‘ I think your chef is going to be there. Do you think we can come?’ ” he said with a huge laugh.
‘ Chi’ actor works his magic
While Jacob Latimore is pretty much sworn to silence about “The Chi,” the Chicago- set television proj- ect executive produced by
Lena Waithe and Common, the young actor did reveal earlier this week that “we’re in our final week of filming the pilot, and it’s mainly about a family on the South Side of Chicago, and is very representative of what’s going on in the city these days.”
What he’s not shy about is filming in Chicago, a city the Milwaukee native said “reminds me a little bit of New York, but much calmer.” His favorite thing to do here is to “take night walks around town, especially around Millennium Park, where you can see how beautiful the city is at night — looking at all the tall buildings, all lit up. … It’s such a panoramic view.”
In his new film, “Sleight” ( opening Friday), Latimore plays Bo, a young street magician who becomes the sole caregiver for his little sister ( played by Storm
Reid) after the death of their parents. Desperate to keep a roof over their heads, Bo gets involved in various illegal activities, including selling drugs — leading to a crisis that forces him to use his magic skills and raw wits.
In talking about the film, Latimore stressed most of the card tricks seen in the film “are really accomplished thanks to great camera effects, but I did want to make myself look comfortable holding cards and spreading them and fiddling around with them.
“For that reason, the whole time we were filming and for a number of weeks before that, to look realistic in pulling off what I was supposed to be doing in the movie, I was never without a deck of cards. I always had one with me. It would be in my pocket, or I’d be shuffling the deck or holding the deck in some way,” said Latimore, who credited the “awesome magicians who were helping me on the set — especially
Eric Jones — with making me look right in the role.”