Seventy-five of Chicago’s finest chefs joined over 600 corporate and community leaders Feb. 1 at the Field Museum for the city’s premiere culinary benefit, Grand Chefs Experience. The annual Cystic Fibrosis Foundation gala supports the foundation’s mission to find a cure. Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disease that affects 30,000 Americans. The 2019 Grand Chefs Experience raised nearly $260,000 for the foundation.
The exclusive, interactive dining experience featured individualized stations and service from tasting and table-side chefs to mixologists and pastry chefs.
The evening was truly dinner and a show. Guests not only dined in the presence of culinary greatness, but also prehistoric species. Máximo the Titanosaur was the guest of honor, as dinner was served in the museum’s Main Hall. Among other notable attendees were “The Bachelor” star Colton Underwood and “Chicago Med”’s Colin Donnell.
In line with the evening’s chef-driven theme, attendees participated in a culinary-inspired silent auction, emceed by hosts Elliot Bambrough and Marley Kayden of WGN-TV’s “Chicago’s Best.”
Gene & Georgetti presented the 2019 Chicago Classic Award to the Boka Restaurant Group.
The evening was sponsored by Beecken Petty O’Keefe & Company, Gene & Georgetti, Hill-Rom, Jenner & Block, DiningOut Chicago, Make It Better, and WSOL.
Emily Stone is Associate Editor at Make It Better. She earned a degree in journalism from Elon University in North Carolina. Along with writing, Stone has a passion for digital storytelling and photography. Her work is published in Chicago Athlete Magazine. Stone is a supporter of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Stone is a fluent Spanish speaker who in her free time loves a good dance class.
