Event Thu Jul 21 2011

Recapping the Green City Market Chefs' BBQ

By Andrew Carlin

So we just stumbled home from the Green City Market Chefs' BBQ and read Louisa Chu's lament about not attending tonight because it's just too darn hot out. Too hot? Too hot? Louisa, we have three words for you: you're a wuss.

For those who don't know, the Chef's BBQ is one of -- no, scratch that. The Chef's BBQ is the best annual food event in Chicago, with 75 of the city's most acclaimed restaurants represented. And boy, did our chefs rock it tonight. Paul Kahan, Mindy Segal, Stephanie Izard and some guy named Rick Bayless, were all there in Lincoln Park, putting on quite a show, particularly Bayless who's booth commanded a line consistently longer than any other at the event. (Come on, people, he's not that handsome! Okay, maybe he is.)

Louisa's right though, it was hot out tonight. So what did attendees do to cool off? Mint Julep Snow Cones and Whiskey Sour Popsicles (Primehouse: please tweet recipe ASAP, k thx). Those were of course in-between the insane, fall-off-the-bone lamb ribs from Old Town Social, succulent goat tostadas courtesy of The Girl and The Goat and Vie's simple, delicious house-cured capicola with salad.

At this point, let's give major props to Steve Dolinsky for tweeting pics in real time of the best items. We don't have that kind of self-control. We see, we eat and we move on to the next booth.

The saddest part of the BBQ is not that it ends, but that it's basically impossible to sample everything before it does. And let's be clear - at every booth there are quantities aplenty and at two and a half hours (a full half an hour longer than last year) there's ample time. I'm talking about stomach space, pure and simple. Unless you're a trained professional like the disgusting Joey Chestnut, there just ain't enough. So you wander around staring, craving, knowing you shouldn't and then eating just a little more.

Don't let anyone fool you - this is the real Taste of Chicago, brought to you by some of the best chefs in the world. Tickets are expensive. Save up. The Chef's BBQ could very well be the single greatest meal you eat all year. There's one catch though: you have to show up.