A taste for Chicago
On the eve of the US’s largest wine and food festival, promoters are pointing out it may long have been seen as “second city” to New York but Chicago has more 5-star restaurants than anywhere in the country.
But is also known for its Chicago pizza and hot dogs, say tourism officials who are promoting that aspect to attract new visitors.
“The city’s rich food history paired with the visions of many savvy chefs, restaurateurs, and culinary professionals make Chicago a foodie’s paradise,” according to tourism officials. They describe the “Windy City” as a “world-class culinary destination.”
Chicago has won repeated awards for food, including ranking #5 on the “Top 10 Food and Wine Destinations in the World” compiled by TripAdvisor.
Chicago’s latest recognition was MICHELIN included the city after two years of research by its team of anonymous American inspectors. Chicago joined New York and San Francisco as the only American cities with an annual MICHELIN Guide.
The city’s annual “Taste of Chicago,” (June 24-July 3) festival is the nation’s largest free food and entertainment festival, attended by more than 3.5 million people each year.
The “Taste” features house specialties from dozens of the city’s restaurants. Among the delectable menu items typically offered are ribs, tempura, falafel, egg rolls, burritos, Chicago-style pizza, gumbo, ice cream, gyros and more.
To highlight Chicago’s fine dining scene, Taste of Chicago features The Chef’s Table and Dominick’s Cooking Corner, where visitors can see cooking demonstrations and sample food from the area’s most well renowned chefs.
Another food-related event, Chicago Gourmet, a world-class celebration of the city’s rich culinary heritage, takes place in Millennium Park September 23-25. Guests will enjoy food, wine, spirits and beer tastings, celebrity chef demos, educational seminars, book signings and more.
By David Wilkening
David
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