Sweet Home Chicago
About this trip
Chicago stands as one of the nation's most distinguished food cities, offering a rich landscape of culinary adventure. The Chicago Chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier is pleased to present “Sweet Home Chicago,” a six-day tour of the city's culinary scene open to Les Dames d’Escoffier members and their guests. Chicago is an ideal location (especially in early summer!) to explore cultural foodways, arts and architecture..
Join us as we wander through ethnic neighborhoods and cuisines, dine at award-winning restaurants, and experience distinctly Chicagoan foods and innovations. Proceeds from the sale of this tour will be used to fund hospitality scholarships and community programs.
The Chicago Chapter of Les Dames d'Escoffier is pleased to invite you on this five-day exploration of our culinary scene. Join us as we discover Chicago's most traditional as well as trend-forward restaurants, learn about the history of our foodways and enjoy some of our preeminent cultural highlights at the same time. (Full details in the itinerary below.) Come see why Condé Nast Travelerreaders voted us the Best Big City in the U.S. for an unprecedented five years in a row.
More details in the itinerary below. Hope to see you in June!
DATES
JUNE 12-16, 2024
PRICE
Shared Room $3,150
Private Room from $3,675
Day 1 - June 12 (Wednesday)
Chicago Awaits
Arrive in Chicago and check into the elegant, historic Chicago Athletic Association Hotel. Located on Michigan Avenue (aka The Magnificent Mile), across from Millenium Park, this 1893 Venetian Gothic landmark is a living, breathing ode to Chicago’s rich history. Bon Appétit magazine named the hotel “one of the 15 best food lovers’ hotels in the United States.”
This evening, indulge in exquisite wine, cocktails and delectable cuisine as you savor the breathtaking city views overlooking Lake Michigan. There will be a fireworks display at Navy Pier around 9:30.
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Day 2: June 13 (Thursday)
Architecture Boat Tour, Plant, Exclusive Dinners
The day starts with a Chicago Architecture Boat Cruise along the Chicago River to learn the history of the city’s most iconic buildings.
After lunch, enjoy a guided food tour of Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood, home to the city’s Latino community. Lunch will be at the beloved, authentic Five Rabanitos Restaurant. Chef Alfonso Sotelo worked for Rick Bayless for years, and his accomplished resume comes to life in his kitchen. After lunch, take a walking tour of the community.
From Pilsen, we’ll travel to the Back-of-the-Yards neighborhood to visit The Plant, a four-level building on the Southwest Side that houses a dozen food businesses, mostly small start-ups. The build in Chicago’s historic meatpacking district is also home to the Packingtown Museum. We’ll start with a presentation about Chicago’s meatpacking history by Keri Underly and then head for the rooftop to discover urban beekeeping. The visit will finish with a walk around Closed-loop Farm which is supplying greens to some of Chicago’s top restaurants.
For dinner, we’ve reserved exclusive tables at Virtue, with James Beard-Award-Winning Chef EricK Williams at the helm. You’ll be joined by Charla Draper, founder of National Soul Food Month and former food editor of Ebony and Southern Living magazines. Charla will talk about how the influence of soul food and southern cooking migrated to Chicago in so many meaningful and delicious ways.
Return to the hotel.
Day 3: June 14 (Friday)
Choose your Day! (Pizza Tasting Tour or Pilsen Neighborhood Tour)
This morning starts with breakfast at Dame Tamar Mizrahi’s fabulous coffee shot. She will do a presentation focused on the coffee universe. Choose choose one or two coffee drinks to try, and a pastry.
Save room for lunch on the lunchtime pizza with Steve Dolinsky tour showcasing four different styles of pizza at four different pizzeria’s. Highlights include a classic Chicago deep-dish, an artisan-style, a NYC-style slice and the city’s best version of a Detroit style slice. (Note: soda and alcohol are available for purchase on tour). Free time after the tour.
This evening take a trip to the trendy Wicker Park neighborhood, home to The Violet Hour cocktail bar for a hands-on class. This James Beard Award-winning bar put craft cocktails on the map. Enjoy modern bar snacks while you sip your cocktail creation.
Dinner reservations available in Wicker Park or wherever you choose. Let us know what you’re looking for!
Day 4: June 15 (Saturday)
Green City Market - Art Institute - Dinner
Early morning trip to Chicago’s Green City Market in Lincoln Park. Founded by the late Dame Abby Mandel, The Green City Market is home to the area’s premier farmers and vendors. Along with locals, Chicago’s best chefs shop here.
Afterwards, a trip downtown to the famous Art Institute of Chicago for a special guided tour of “Food in Art.” From celebrations and hunts to still lifes to mosaics of antiquity, food has been depicted in art since we lived in caves 20,000 years ago. This unique tour of paintings in the AIC collection will celebrate the artistic epicurean delights that can be found throughout the museum.
After the museum, we’ll travel to Dame Barbara Glunz’s historic Glunz Tavern for lunch. Opened in 1888, The House of Glunz has been family-operated for 135 years, making it the oldest business in Old Town and the oldest family-run wine shop in the country. In 2012, the neighboring Glunz Tavern was reopened for the first time since Prohibition. Historic decor and artifacts, many of which are over 100 years old, were uncovered when the tavern was restored and reopened. The Old World Tasting Room, where you will have lunch, is a treasure trove of hand-carved furniture and drink ware from the neighborhood's German past. There will a menu of Central European specialties and local Wisconsin cheeses paired with Central European wines over a discussion about the influx of Central Europeans at the turn of the last century that make Chicago what it is today. Enjoy free time afterwards.
Lastly, our farewell dinner, will be at Gibson’s, Chicago’s most iconic steak restaurant for more than 30 years. Located on the famous Rush Street in the heart of the Gold Coast, you’ll get a taste of the downtown hustle and bustle.
Day 5: June 16 (Sunday)
Breakfast with Ina at Chicago’s famed University Club
This morning, after checking out of the hotel, enjoy breakfast with the Breakfast Queen herself, Ina Pinkney. Ina earned her royal title as the owner and operator of Ina’s, where she reigned supreme for 33 years until 2013. Breakfast will be at the historic University Club of Chicago.
Never one to rest on her laurels, in 2014, Ina published her book Ina’s Kitchen: Memories and Recipes and became a regular columnist for the Chicago Tribune until 2020. She was the subject of a documentary “Breakfast at Ina’s," released in 2015, which chronicles her career trajectory at Ina’s. The film was featured at 48 film festivals in the following year. Ina is a great storyteller and publishes a monthly newsletter on Substack, Ina’s Newsletter.
