Friday, May 22
Inspired by our James Beard award-winning Key Ingredient series, KICO Invites you to taste and vote for nearly two dozen dishes created by Chicago’s most outstanding Chefs using one of five secret ingredients featured in past columns.
Must be 21+.
VIP Tickets: $125
6:30-11:30PM
VIP guests will have access to the event one hour early and can enjoy bites from Dave Beran, Executive Chef at Next, who in 2014 won the James Beard Foundation award for Best Chef: Great Lakes. While taking in the city skyline views from the Lacuna Artist Loft Rooftop, guests can enjoy craft beer from All Rise Brewing, wine from Sonoma-Cutrer, and specialty cocktails from Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel, Gentleman Jack, and Herradura. After the VIP hour guests will enjoy samples from all 22 restaurants. From 7:30pm-11:30pm, guests will enjoy libations, music from Windy City Soul Club, and more!
General Admission Tickets: $65
7:30-11:30PM
Enjoy tasting from all 22 restaurants, specialty cocktails, wine and beer, photo booth and music from Windy City Soul Club!
NEED A RIDE? Meet Chicago Trolley at the Roosevelt Red Line from 5:30-7pm for a FREE ride to the event. Or NEW customers of Curb can receive a $10 credit when you download and use KEY2015.
Participating chefs
Sarah Rinkavage of LuLa Cafe
(Watch Sarah use Jellyfish)
Chris Teixeira of Homestead on the Roof
(Chris uses Black Cumin)
Zoe Schor of Ada Street
(Watch Zoe use Geoduck)
Paula Haney & Diane Rosen of Hoosier Mama Pie Company
(Watch Paula use Millet)
Rob Levitt of The Butcher & Larder
(Watch Rob use Abalone)
Abra Berens of Local Foods
(Watch Abra cook with Yinzhen Silver Needle Tea)
Sandra Holl of Floriole
(Watch Sandra use Apricot Kernels)
Tim Davidson of Troquet River North
Chris de La Cueva of The Ogden
John Asbaty of White Oak Tavern & Inn
(Watch John use Honeycomb tripe)
Andres Padilla of Topolobampo
(Watch Andres dish up cock’s combs)
Nicole Pederson of Found Kitchen
(Watch Nicole use birch syrup)
Chris Gawronski of Acanto
Shaun King of The Dawson
Harold Jurado of Yusho
(Yusho uses sea cucumber)
Matt Troost of Three Aces
(Watch Matt use Dende Oil)
Sean Sanders of Browntrout
(Browntrout cooks with Bailey’s Irish Cream)
Jason Gilmore of Cobra Lounge
Rodolfo Cuadros of Carnivale
Eric Michael of The Southern
(The Southern chef uses Fish Eyes)
Joseph Rose of The Terrace at Conrad Chicago
(Watch chef Rose cook with Smen)
Elissa Narow of Perennial Virant
(Watch Elissa cook with Huitlacoche)
Meet the Key Ingredient Cook-Off’s cocktail craftsman, Mark Darress.
Mark is recognized for mixing up buzz worthy drinks in Chicago and Miami.
Pushing limits in cocktail culture, Mark specializes in his very own shrub flavors. When coming up with signature drinks, he starts with a clear mind, carefully considering ingredients for his guests and the genre that he is serving. Mark has mastered his talents through nearly a decade of experience in all genres of nightlife currently mixing it up at Liquor Lab. In 2015, Mark won the Woodford Reserve Manhattan Competition and was a Four Roses Competition Finalist for winning concoction, the Woody-hattan.
