Taste of Chicago: Restaurants set for ‘reimagined’ event
The coronavirus may have forced the City of Chicago to cancel an in-person Taste of Chicago this year, but the Taste will still go on.
The Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events last week announced a “reimagined” festival featuring a new, online extravaganza with cooking demonstration, virtual music and dance events. In addition, 42 restaurants and food trucks across the city will be participating.
From July 8 to 12, the city will showcase local chiefs doing daily cooking demonstrations making some of their favorite dishes.
The demos can be viewed at noon each day at youtube.com/ChicagoDCASE. The lineup includes:
July 8: Chef Carlos Gaytan of Tzuco prepares Avocado Flatbread
July 9: Chef Maya-Camille Broussard of Justice of the Pie prepares Lemon Lime Cake
July 10: Chef Jessica Romanowski of Care Kitchen Chicago prepares Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread Cookies
July 11: Chef Darnell Reed of Luella’s Southern Kitchen prepares Salsa Con Queso
July 12: Chef Sarah Grueneberg of Monteverde prepares Pasta Fredda with Summer Herb Pesto
The Community Eats program will encourage participating restaurants and food trucks to host free community meals for front-line workers and nonprofits in their neighborhoods. Last year, this program held nine dinners, but will expand to 21 meals.
“Local restaurants make up the backbone of our neighborhoods — and we’re finding creative ways to support both them and the communities they serve while prioritizing health and safety,” said Mark Kelly, Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events commissioner. “While this year is different for all of us, the spirit of Taste of Chicago lives on with community meals and virtual
events showcasing Chicago’s diverse and legendary culinary, music and arts scene.”
Marc Schulman and Charlie Robinson, two familiar Taste vendors (who’ve been serving up their most popular dishes in adjacent booths at the annaul Grant Park food fest for the past 35 years) have partnered for this year’s event.
“We are building a Taste area in [The Eli’s Cheesecake World parking lot] and Charlie is driving over his barbecue truck. We’re offering all of our Taste favorites, plus an opportunity to buy whole cheesecakes. We’re so happy to do this because Taste is very close to our hearts,” said Schulman,
Eli’s Cheesecake president.
Fans of SummerDance can check out “SummerDance in Place: Bollywood & Bhangra” with Bollywood Groove and DJ iLLEST from 5:30-7 p.m. July 8, broadcast and streaming on WTTW-Prime (11.2).
And while live music at Grant Park is not happening this year, you can enjoy the “Millennium Park at Home” music series, including the July 9 program with The Braided Janes and Jon Langford. Music starts at 6 p.m. at youtube.com/ ChicagoDCASE.
For more information on Taste of Chicago To-Go, visit