Delicious details on a September to remember
My week was filled with great food and vibes from two vastly different events, the last-ever Natural Products Expo East, plus Chicago Gourmet with Hamburger Hop and Grand Cru.
I felt like George Costanza last week. My “worlds were colliding,” as he famously protested on “Seinfeld” when his romantic life suddenly clashed with his life with his best pals.
In my case, however, there was no clashing as my two professional lives complemented one another these past several days. While New Hope Network’s Natural Products Expo East show in Philadelphia was healthier focused, Chicago Gourmet was decadent. What they had in common was that they both amplified the very best of their worlds: better-for-you CPG food & beverage brands vs. chef-driven dishes and world-class wines.
I’ve outlined what caught my eye during the four-day Expo East in this recap on Food & Beverage Insider. This year marks the final edition of the almost 40-year-old show. In August 2024, New Hope will debut Newtopia Now, a more intimate and experiential experience than the traditional F&B trade show format.
In the meantime, it was great connecting with brand founders and learning their backstories. They’re behind some of the most notable and emerging products in the natural food world that you see on the retail shelves.
Between Harvest Festival, the kickoff event showcasing emerging and smaller companies, and the main show floor, more than 1,200 brands were on display during Expo East. There were also subsections on the floor like Hot Products, Organics, Beverage Pavilion and (included) where innovation was on fire.
The highlights: global inspiration and flavor profiles in the likes of baby-food newcomer Globowl and moles from !Ya Oaxaca!; regenerative agriculture honored at the highest level in Jasberry organic superfood rice and GoodSam Foods; clean-label snacks with the likes of Artisan Tropic, Fillo’s Walking Tamales and Jack & Friends’ Jackfruit Jerky; and nonalcoholic, ready-to-drink beverages from Hella, Mockly, Recess and Soiree.
Out with the old, onward with Newtopia Now!
Chicago Gourmet settles into new format
Long gone are the days when Chicago Gourmet’s signature events consisted of hundreds of local restaurants assembled on Millennium Park’s grounds showcasing their signature bites. Since 2021, the four-day extravaganza hosted by the Illinois Restaurant Association has been pared down to more nuanced events that are themed and allow guests to have more intimate interactions with the culinary talent.
My favorite events, of course, are Hamburger Hop, when select chefs from across Chicagoland compete with their versions of the best burgers, and Grand Cru, a higher-end, walk-around tasting of wines paired with top chef bites.
I’m always honored to be asked back to serve as a judge for Hamburger Hop. I’ve been doing it since 2011 and served alongside such awesome industry folks like the late radio disc jockey Lin Brehmer of WXRT-FM; former Chicago Tribune restaurant critic Phil Vettel; FOX-Chicago anchor Sylvia Perez; Virtue chef Damarr Brown; and chef/restaurateur Stephanie Izard, who has served as emcee and a judge for several years.
This year’s event, as always, occurred at Harris Theater Rooftop at Millennium Park. Fourteen chefs competed, including Shota Nakajima of Seattle, Washington’s Taku restaurant. There were two categories, the People’s Choice Award and Judges’ Award Winner.
Nakajima won both categories—a feat that’s only happened two other times during this competition. His prizefighter Osaka Burger featured a Slagel Family Farms beef burger, topped with provolone cheese, yuzu kosho cilantro kewpie, and pickled daikon and carrots on a Turano brioche bun. He was awarded a Sysco gift bundle, $2,000 DoorDash community credit to be donated to a charity of his choice, and a magnum of wine from Josh Cellars.
Chicago Gourmet weekend is always a swell time, but it’s important to note that it also raises money to pay it forward to the next generation. It benefits the Illinois Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (IRAEF), a 501 (c)(3) dedicated to building and promoting the health and prosperity of the restaurant industry by investing in both youth and workforce.
See you next year!
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So much fun! Looks like you had a blast!