Greetings Bacon Nation,
T-minus 60 days to Baconfest Chicago 2012. Tickets will be going on sale later this month (thanks to our ticketing sponsor Eventbrite!). If you are not on the mailing list, sign up here. In the past, BFC tickets have sold out lighting fast. Historical fact.
As of this writing, we have over 100 incredible chefs/restaurants who’ve signed on to celebrate bacon with you, and we are pleased to share the schedule of exhibiting restaurants for April 14th.
Due to the AMAZING number of restaurants interested in exhibiting at Baconfest, and based on some feedback we got about last year’s event in terms of crowd flow, we have decided to separate the day on April 14th into TWO exhibition sessions: a Lunch Shift and a Dinner Shift. This dual shift model gives us the ability to accommodate more chefs and guests throughout the day while increasing our charitable donation to the Greater Chicago Food Depository, all while preserving what we love most about the event.
Each session will feature:
- Over 50 restaurants/chefs who will be sharing their bacon-creations with our guests.
- Approximately 20 vendors who will be sampling their bacon-related wares.
- Approximately 7 liquor sponsors who will be serving beer and bacon-based cocktails.
Tickets are all inclusive – general admission tickets cost $75.00 each; VIP tickets cost $150.00. Each ticket is valid only for the session for which it was purchased.
We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: Baconfest Chicago would not possible without the help of our generous Sponsors.
Nueske’s Applewood Smoked Meats is the Official Bacon Sponsor of BFC. They are donating SO MUCH BACON to our various chefs to use in their dishes. They are cool AND their bacon is just amazing. Props to our media sponsor the Chicago Reader, and to FIG Catering for helping us throw this party.
Booze. So news flash, bacon can be salty. Well, thanks to the support of our liquor sponsors, we’ve got you covered. Goose Island, Pabst Blue Ribbon and Greenbush Brewery will be on hand with beer. More of a cocktail person? Templeton Rye is whipping up a bacon/whiskey concoction, The Fifty/50 will be serving their “Wobble Stopper” – the official bloody mary of BFC, Bakon Vodka and the Piggery will be teaming up to do an assortment of bacon-cocktails, and Candid Wines/Santome will be on hand with their vino.
Last but not least, (and Bacon Nation, believe me when I say that every time I look at this list, I get a little weepy with joy), below are the stars of our show, the people who are donating their time and talent inspired by their love of bacon, their desire to share that love with you all, and in support of and solidarity with our charity partner The Greater Chicago Food Depository. Nation, below are your 2012 Baconfest Chicago Exhibiting Chefs/Restaurants.
You’ll be hearing from us shortly with more info on ticket sales and ticket giveaway contests.
Until then, “Stay bacony my friends…. Stay bacony.”
Andre, Michael and Seth
Co-founders, Baconfest Chicago
Schedules are subject to change slightly!
LUNCH Session 1: VIP Hour – 11:30am-12:30pm, General Admission – 12:30pm-3pm
- AUTRE MONDE CAFE - Dan Pancake & Beth Partridge
- BACARO - Thad Morrow
- BARN & COMPANY – Gary Wiviott
- BENNY’S CHOP HOUSE - Aaron Lindgren
- BIG JONES – Paul Fehribach (* 4 year BFC VET)
- BISTRO CAMPAGNE - Michael Altenberg
- BLEEDING HEART BAKERY
- BLT AMERICAN BRASSERIE - Aksel Theilkuhl
- BRIDGE HOUSE TAVERN - Mark Hemmer
- BRISTOL/BALENA – Chris Pandel - (* 4 year BFC VET!)
- BURGER BAR CHICAGO - John McLean
- CAFÉ des ARCHITECTES – Greg Biggers
- CHALKBOARD – Gilbert Langlois - (* 4 year BFC VET!)
- CHICAGO q – Lee Ann Whippen
- CHIZAKAYA – Harold Jurado
- CUSTOM HOUSE TAVERN – Perry Hendrix
- deca RESTAURANT + BAR at the Ritz Carlton - Mark Payne
- FLO AND SANTOS - Mark Rimkus
- FRONTIER - Brian Jupiter
- HEARTY – Dan Smith (* 4 Year BFC VET)
- HOPLEAF - Ben Sheagren
- INOVASI – John des Rosiers
- LA MADIA – Jonathan Fox
- LILLIE’S Q – Charlie Mckenna
- LOCKWOOD RESTAURANT at the Palmer House - Joseph Rose
- LOKaL – Artur Wnorowski
- MAGNOLIA CAFE – Kas Medhat
- MARKETHOUSE - Scott Walton
- MAY ST. CAFE – Mario Santiago
- MEXIQUE - Carlos Gaytan
- MODERNO - Philip Rubino
- MRS. MURPHY & SONS IRISH BISTRO - Jeanne Carlson
- N9NE STEAK HOUSE
- OLD TOWN SOCIAL – Jared Van Camp
- PADDY LONG’S – Patrick Berger & Chris Latchford (* 4 year BFC VETS)
- PIECE – Bill Jacobs & Jonathan Cutler
- PLEASANT HOUSE BAKERY - Art and Chelsea Jackson
- PRIMEHOUSE (David Burke’s) – Jove Hubbard - (* 5 year BFC VET Restaurant)
- PUBLIC HOUSE and BULL & BEAR - David Blonsky
- PURE KITCHEN - Joel Paige
- RED BUTTER - Monica Sharma (* 2012 Golden Rasher Award Winner)
- RED CANARY – Daniel Tolentino
- ROOTS HANDMADE PIZZA
- Shanghai Terrace at The Peninsula Chicago - Ivan Yuen and Kai Lermen
- SIGNATURE ROOM - Rosalia Barron (5 year BFC vet restaurant)
- SMALL BAR DIVISION – Justin White
- SOUTH WATER KITCHEN – Roger Waysok (* 4 year BFC VET)
- SPACCA NAPOLI – Jonathan Goldsmith
- THE COOKING CHICKS – Vanessa Moses
- THE FLORENTINE - Chris Macchia
- UNCLE BUB'S BBQ - Mark Link
- UNION SUSHI + BARBEQUE BAR - Chao
- WEST TOWN TAVERN - Susan Goss
- WILDFIRE - Edgar Ojeda
- ZED451 - Curtis Hawk - (* 2012 Golden Rasher Award Winner)
DINNER Session 2: VIP Hour – 5:30pm-6:30pm, General Admission – 6:30pm-9pm
- 2 SPARROWS – Gregory Ellis
- 676 RESTAURANT AND BAR – Joshua Hasho (* 2012 Golden Rasher Award Winner)
- 694 WINE & SPIRITS – Chris Dunstatter
- ATWOOD CAFE – Derek Simcik (* 4 year BFC VET)
- BAKIN’ & EGGS – Bob and Gina Hartwig
- BLACK DOG GELATO – Jessica Oloroso
- BRANCH 27 – Todd Dibkey
- BROWNTROUT – Sean Sanders
- BUTCHER & THE BURGER – Allen Sternweiler
- CAFE SPIAGGIA – Sarah Grueneberg and Chris Marchino
- CANTINA 46 – Troy Graves - (* 4 year BFC VET!)
- CANTINA LAREDO – Larry Sinclair
- Chef Chris Curren
- DAVANTI ENOTECA – Jaysen Euler
- ELLY’S PANCAKE HOUSE
- EPIC RESTAURANT – Matt Pollock
- FARMHOUSE – Eric Mansavage
- FRANCESCA’S FORNO – Kevin Ives
- GEMINI BISTRO/RUSTIC HOUSE – Jason Paskewitz
- GIRL & THE GOAT – Stephanie Izard
- GLENVIEW HOUSE – Grant Slauterbeck
- IPO – Trevor Hoyte
- J LAFAYETTE CATERING CO. – Alexander L. Martin
- JORDAN'S FOOD OF DISTINCTION - Jordan Spritz
- LEOPOLD – Michael Dean Reynolds
- MARKET BAR CHICAGO – Evan Packer
- MERCADITO – Patricio Sandoval
- MERCAT A LA PLANXA – Jose Garces and Cory Morris
- NACIONAL 27 – Francisco Vilchez
- NANA – Ricardo Pineda
- NONNA SANTI’S BISCOTTI – Jo-Marie Frigo
- PARK GRILL at Millenium Park – Bernie Laskowski
- PAULINA MARKET
- PERENNIAL VIRANT – Paul Virant
- QUINCE – Andy Motto
- ROCKIT BAR & GRILL/ROCKIT BURGER BAR – Amanda Downing
- ROSEBUD – Michael Ponzio
- SABLE KITCHEN & BAR – Heather Terhune (* 4 year BFC VET)
- SAIGON SISTERS RESTAURANT – Matt Riordan
- SIXTEEN – Sarah Kosikowski
- STATE & LAKE at The Wit Hotel – Evan Percoco
- SUNDA – Jess De Guzman
- SWEET BABY RAY'S RESTAURANTS & CATERING
- TABLE FIFTY-TWO – Art Smith
- TERZO PIANO at the Art Institute of Chicago – Megan Neubeck
- THE BEDFORD/CARRIAGE HOUSE – Mark Steuer
- THE COOKING CHICKS – Vanessa Moses
- THREE ACES – Matt Troost (* 2012 Golden Rasher Award Winner)
- TINY LOUNGE - Jen Templeton
- TOWNHOUSE RESTAURANT & WINE BAR – Kelly Jane Wilson
- TRENCHERMEN – Pat Sheerin & Michael Sheerin - (* 5 year BFC VET - Pat Sheerin)
- VIE - Amber Blatt (* 5 year Baconfest Chicago Restaurant)
- WITTS – Mike Gussis
- WOW BAO – Hot Asian Buns
- ZAPATISTA - Alberto Mendez


























