Baconfest Chicago 2014

Hiya!

Baconfest Chicago's sixth event is coming next April 25 and 26 - in 2014, we're adding a third shift on Friday night to try to satisfy Chicago's appetite for bacon.

We've released VIP tickets in time for holiday gift-giving. You can buy tickets here: http://baconfestchicago2014.eventbrite.com

The chef line-up has not yet been released, we'll announce that early next year. Ticket prices are the same as last year - $200 for VIP; $100 for General Admission. GA tickets will go on sale in February.

Baconfest came to be thanks in large part to the LTH community so I hope to see some LTHers there next year!

I'm waiting to decide if I want to go until after I see the baconfest music video, I hear it's going to be awesome.

Touché!

Hallo!

Baconfest General Admission tickets will be on sale on Monday 2/24 at noon:http://baconfestchicago2014.eventbrite.com/

We have three sessions to choose from this year. You can see the lineups for each session here: http://baconfestchicago.com/2014chefschedule

We have a very strong lineup this year and some new drink partners on board: revolution brewing, drinks from scofflaw and Berkshire room on Friday night, a Wirtz mega station at all three sessions.

Hope to see some LTHers there!

Hiya! Just wanted to reach out and let the LTH Community know that we are having a fun Kickoff Cocktail Party next Tuesday at the Berkshire Room from 7pm - 10pm to mark the start of Bacon Month in Chicago!

There will be excellent bacon cocktails from Benjamin Schiller, Danny Shapiro (Scofflaw) and Annemarie Sagoi (The Dawson). I got to try Benjamin's drink last night - it's a riff on a whiskey-sour called "Smokers Outside" which has bacon-washed bourbon, blackstrap rum, bitters, lemon and fresh mint and is exceedingly delicious.

Tickets are $30 and include one each of the cocktails, a can of Labatt Blue and bacon snacks from the Berkshire Room kitchen. The Acme Hotel Company will be giving away gift bags and raffling off a hotel package.

You can purchase tickets here: http://baconmonthcocktailparty.eventbrite.com/

Hope to see some friendly LTH faces in the crowd.

In case folks are interested - here is the menu for Baconfest next week:

http://baconfestchicago.com/2014menu

Frank and I will be at the Sat dinner session- any other LTH friends going?

irisarbor wrote:Frank and I will be at the Sat dinner session- any other LTH friends going?

I'll be judging on Sat night.

Lucky you
we'll look for you there

I was a judge last night at the Friday dinner session and it was a blast. The winner of the Golden Rasher was Michael Jordan's Restaurant. They made Caramelized Bacon with Clams Casino Broth. Utterly delicious . . . as was just about everything else I "judged" at the event.

=R=

Saw Seth on the 10 pm news last night (ABC, I think), explaining how they have medical professionals standing by at the fest to take people's blood pressure, etc. if they need it after indulging in so much bacon.

Barn & Company will be at the evening session tonight serving

Smoked Baloney 5B Sliders – bacon rubbed smoked baloney sliders topped with bacon fat impregnated low slow brisket and bacon studded slaw with a drizzle of bacon BBQ sauce.

We will have a defibrillator on hand.

Regards,
Gary Wiviott
Pitmaster, Barn & Company

Baconfest was, yet again, a success this year. Full disclosure: I've gone to them all, always as press and/or a judge. As a fan of bacon and gluttony, I'm not too difficult to impress at an event like this. But one of my favorite things each year is getting surprised by places I haven't been to or wouldn't expect bacon mastery from. I went to all three sessions and here are a few of my unexpected favorites.


Have you ever heard of Chicago365 Hospitality? Probably not. I certainly hadn't. It turns out the company does one thing - makes food for the fancy folks at Soldier Field. That's it. If you are not in Club seats, a luxury box, or at a special event at Soldier Field, you don't eat their food. I was really surprised that they were there and shocked at how much I liked one of their two offerings: a "bacon taco" (actually a large piece of bacon folded over and held together with a clothes pin) filled with a bacon hash pancake, chevre, bacon confit, blood orange creme fraiche, red pepper jelly, and candied jalapeno. There could have been something a little crisper or crunchier involved but that's a minor point. This was really excellent.


Gingersnap Sweets and Such has gotten no mentions I can find on this board. The pastry shop near Southport and Irving served a few different bite-size treats, but the one that stood out was the bacon nougat candy with pecans. I'll be making my first visit there shortly.


Steakhouses generally aren't talked about much on LTH and I don't think the food at Michael Jordan's has ever been discussed. I'm not sure that a Baconfest entry will get anyone to go to a steakhouse, but Chef James O’Donnell but out a truly outstanding bite at Baconfest - caramelized bacon with clams casino broth, calabrian chiles and bacon fat bread crumbs. It was the best thing I tried at all three sessions and I ate a ton. If interested, you can see my unedited pics of nearly everything I sampled here.


This is the second year in a row that Bread & Wine (short thread here) made something delicious for Baconfest. This year the restaurant made smoked pork belly mortadella with bacon mostardo and pickled red onions. I meant to make it to the restaurant after last year's Baconfest but failed. I won't make that mistake this year.


It's been a year and a half since anyone commented on the main Frontera Grill thread. That's strange, though I can't say I've been there in that time either. It might be time for a return visit, especially for dessert, which I'm not sure I've ever had there. The restaurant was represented by pastry chef Jennifer Jones, whose chocolate mesquite cake with piloncillo date bacon caramel, and a meringue on the side was simply outstanding.


Nobody told Bistro Dre (very short thread here) not to bring salmon to a bacon fight. It turns out that's a good thing. The restaurant's wild salmon sashimi with bacon tempura crunch, tomato bacon mayo, bacon ponzu, and micro greens was stellar. Given that my goal is to try as much as possible at Baconfest, I only go back for seconds at a few places. My bite at Bistro Dre was so good that I had a second one before walking away from their table.

Thanks!!! Finding great stuff from unexpected places is also my favorite part of the event. Appreciate the post!!!

MarlaCollins'Husband wrote:Gingersnap Sweets and Such has gotten no mentions I can find on this board. The pastry shop near Southport and Irving served a few different bite-size treats, but the one that stood out was the bacon nougat candy with pecans. I'll be making my first visit there shortly.

I recently happened across Ginger Snap while picking up some beans from nearby Asado Coffee. The croissant was the best I've had in recent memory. Snap and I are planning a return trip soon to see what else they've got. That's awesome that they made a good showing at Baconfest.