When you get an invitation from Chelsea Handler inviting you to a brunch with Belvedere vodka, it's not one of those things you really have to think about whether you want to attend. So before we really even knew the details, we signed on.
Then we realized it was at Mercat a la Planxa to launch Belvedere's new bloody mary vodka and knew it was going to be a good time. Little did we know it'd be a veritable who's who of Chicago's food and media scene. First, it was co-hosted by Bon Appetit's new editor in chief Adam Rapoport who said he's having a great time at the helm.
The event was called for 11 a.m. and it started filling up quickly. Mingling over fresh bloody marys and another cocktail comprising citrus and mint (as well as the spicy vodka), a robust crew of Chicago chefs, restaurateurs and media folk mingled, including Tony and Cathy Mantuano, Bill & Yvonne-Cadiz Kim, Rob and Kathleen Katz, Amanda Puck, CS magazine's Korey Karnes Huyler, Candace Jordan, Time Out Chicago's Kevin Aeh and John Dugan, Spiaggia exec chef Sarah Grueneberg and her fiance, Jaime Canete, sous chef at Terzo Piano, Michigan Avenue editor Susanna Negovan, John Ross and Chris Pandel from the Bristol, Takashi Yagihashi, Alpana Singh, Charles Joly, Adam Seger, Joshua Pearson, Brad Bolt, Lynn House, Blackbird group's Brian Houstin, Justin Large and Patrick Fahy and so many more.
We don't claim to be connected or very knowledgeable about this scene, but honestly none of the names mean anything to us. We thought that maybe one, two or three would ring a bell...nope not one.
Apparently we're out of the know in regard to knowing people.
7 comments:
Mostly movers & shakers in the restaurant business. If you were into trying out restaurants all over town, you'd probably recognize a few of them
Let's do an experiment: Look at each of the publications mentioned in this article in a month or two, and count how many vodka ads there are. See how many drink recipes call for this particular brand. This story should have a disclaimer that says it's a paid advertisement, made possible by ethically-questionable journalism practices. Just because someone paid to serve it at Mercat, doesn't mean it's as good as Mercat.
You don't recognize any of those names?
Get out of the South Loop more.
Go to Belly Shack. Last time I was there, Bill Kim himself brought my brussels sprouts with chorizo to my table.
Jose Garces is really one of the hottest chefs in the country and he is simply creates the menu at Mercat. Still the best tapas outside of Spain!
Guess I'm out of the loop too because I've never heard of Belly Shack.
You know Alpana Singh - "Check Please"
Alpana Singh hosts "Check Please," a tv show on WTTW that reviews restaurants around the Chicagoland area. I believe she also writes a column about wine for the Red Eye.
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