Spring in Chicago just hits differently. After our long, cold winters, the appearance of certain produce on menus — harbingers of spring like asparagus, ramps, garlic scapes, fiddleheads, and rhubarb — are cause for celebration in every professional kitchen. But the reality of living in planting Zone 5 and the variability of local spring weather, […]
We wait all year for it, and the time is finally upon us to scoop up all the local, seasonal produce we can from our locals farmers markets. The days of mingling, sampling, and lingering at the market might be gone for now, as many have pandemic safety protocols in place such as social distancing, […]
If you’ve been reading the news lately, you know that the global environmental outlook isn’t just bleak, it’s cause for panic. As we all look for ways to reduce our environmental impact, it’s important to be aware that the food we eat directly and indirectly accounts for nearly a third of our global carbon footprint. […]
Gale Gand is royalty in the food world. She’s a successful cookbook author, Food Network personality and a rare female partner at a world-class restaurant. When President Hu of China recently came to Chicago, Mayor Daley asked Gale to cook dessert for the welcome dinner—she has the signed chef’s jacket as a souvenir. As […]
