A fun pre-party, Gourmet Tailgate, hosted by Chef Jonathon Sawyer and presented by COUNTRY Financial, served up elevated bites and bevvies and a Bears season opening win at Utopian Tailgate in Old Town. The main event weekend then kicked off on Wednesday, September 23, with an exquisite multi-course Global Stage Dinner, presented by Square, on the Pritzker Pavilion stage and an Asian Night Market, hosted by Chefs Thai Dang & Beverly Kim, at Zhou B Art Center in Bridgeport. Thursday night brought the heat as Tacos & Tequila, hosted by Chefs Rick Bayless, Marcos Carbajal, and Diana Dávila and presented by Square and US Foods, lit up the Harris Theater rooftop. Friday was a full day with Somm Sessions at Adalina Italian, a musical wine pairing luncheon presented by Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits followed by the always popular Hamburger Hop, serving up tasty burgers and cold beer and co-hosted by Chefs Joe Flamm & Jeff Mauro and presented by Home Grown Program supported by Sysco, DoorDash, and Miller Lite. Saturday saw the return of the fan-favorite Chef Cooking Demos along with the spectacular Grand Cru event featuring the finest cuisine, wines, and spirits during two sessions co-hosted by Chefs Stephanie Izard, Lee Anne Wong, Sarah Grueneberg, and Chris Shepherd and presented by UnitedHealthcare®. And, Sunday’s finale was the fabulous Rise & Shine Gourmet brunch co-hosted by Chefs Art Smith & Erick Williams and presented by COUNTRY Financial, Performance Foodservice, and UNOX.
Chicago Gourmet 2026 took center stage with guests sipping, savoring, and swaying to the rhythm. Start making your plans to be there in 2027! For information visit ChicagoGourmet.org.