Culinary enthusiasts put on their Sunday best for Rise & Shine Gourmet on Sunday morning, September 29, as part of the annual Chicago Gourmet weeklong festivities. Held on the Harris Theater’s rooftop (205 E. Randolph St.) from 11am to 2pm that day, one of my favorite Chicago Gourmet events was bursting with brunch-y goodness.
The newly reimagined decadent brunch was co-hosted by Chefs Art Smith, Lorena Garcia and Jernard Wells, and had it all – culinary delights, music, sun, and fun!
The sunny afternoon was filled with sweet and savory bites, inventive cocktails, lively, musical beats, and top-tier chefs, who knew how to make a dish look as good as it tasted.
This year’s Rise and Shine Gourmet Brunch chefs and sommeliers boasted the best variety of dishes, beverages and spirits I’ve seen in quite a while:
Mike Alaridi | Virgin Hotels Chicago
Maya-Camille Broussard | Justice of the Pies
D’Andre Carter | Soul & Smoke
Fernanda Covarrubias | La Posterería
Fleetwood Covington | Seagar’s Prime Steaks & Seafood
Aaron Cuschieri | The Dearborn
Lorena Garcia | Chef Owner, Restaurateur, TV Host, Author
Esther Griego & Katsuji Tanabe | Bittersweet Pastry Shop
Kurt Guzowski & Thomas Rice | Four Star Artisan
CJ Jacobson | Aba / Ēma
Gene Kato | Momotaro / Itoko
Dylan Patel | avec / bar avec
Darnell Reed | Luella’s Southern Kitchen
Sarah Stegner | Prairie Grass Cafe
Art Smith | Chef Art Smith’s Reunion
Jernard Wells | Haute Cuisine
Hermiz Younan | MEDI Kitchen + Cocktail
Steven Zabel | Performance Foodservice
2024’s theme was ‘Fashion, Plated,’ which celebrated the fusion of food and fashion. The delicious dishes and drinks offered for sampling that morning were definitely fashionable, with quite a few looking too beautiful for consumption.
There were several amazing dishes that stood out such as Big Green Egg’s delicious Blueberry French Toast Bake, Mike Alaridi’s (Virgin Hotels Restaurants) sinful Tiramisu French Toast (Kerrygold buttercream, tiramisu filling, sugar cookies, strawberries and espresso), and Aba/Ema’s Sweet Corn Hummus with aleppo, black chive and lime.
Being a pescatarian and shrimp lover, two shrimp dishes caught my interest and taste buds: Dylan Patel’s savory Poached Shrimp with Sweet Corn Pudding and Merguez Vinaigrette (Ave/Bar Ave), and Jernard Wells’ Bourbon BBQ Shrimp and Kerrygold Smoked Cheddar Grits (Haute Cuisine).
For meat enthusiasts, Hermiz Younan’s (Media Kitchen and Cocktail) Shish Tawook-Grilled Marinated Chicken was a huge hit, as were Aaron Cuschieri’s Pork and Black Truffle Dumplings from The Dearborn.
Added to the impressive list were the Perfectly Southern Chicken and Waffles, by Performance Food Service’s Steven Zabel.
Two other simple, yet inspiring dishes that need to be mentioned were La Postreria’s refreshing Conchas with Nata (Conchas bread, carnalized Maya cream strawberries), and Yogurt Foam with Pistachio Streusel (Greek yogurt, pistachio, red berries, tangerines and edible flowers).
Small, and delicate yet bursting with flavor included Gene Kato’s Steamed Buns and Lox (Momotoro/Itoko) and Sarah Stegner’s Egg Salad with Potatoes and Hollandaise Sauce (Prairie Grass Cafe).
The amazing food I tasted at Rise and Shine Gourmet was washed down with impeccable Intelligences Coffee, a wonderful Blueberry Sour Ale from Church Street Brewing Company, and clever cocktails mixed with Conniption Gin (Kinship Spritz and Espresso Martini).
Was this one of the best Chicago Gourmet events I have attended in recent years? A definite yes! Looking forward to what Chicago Gourmet 2025 has to offer!
Photos: Jennifer Lunz
For more information and updates on next year’s Chicago Gourmet and to purchase future tickets, please visit the website.
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