Well Bacon Nation, tickets for Baconfest Chicago 2012 are SOLD OUT. As always, they went swiftly, in spite of our almost doubling the available tickets from last year. And once again you’ve proven to us that your bacon-love knows no bounds. Yes, we’ve shown the world that those who claim that the bacon “fad” is over are wrong. We all know what they clearly don’t: Bacon was NEVER a “fad,” and Bacon will NEVER be “over.” Bacon is FOREVER.
If you are amongst those lucky enough to have secured your tickets, we say to you Huzzah! And thank you. Know that Team Baconfest Chicago is 100% committed to giving you the best culinary experience possible period. For those of you who did not get tickets, there will be contests, the first of which is already under way: Nueske’s Amateur Bacon Cook-off
Thank you for your trust in us as we crescendo to April 14th. Baconfest Chicago 2012 is going to R.O.C.K. Seth, Michael and I could not be prouder of the line-up of exhibitors and sponsors who are coming together in this great foodie city of Chicago. What unifies them?
1. Their love of Bacon and their desire to share that love with you.
2. Their devotion to one of the best food-related charities in the nation: The Greater Chicago Food Depository.
In life, seniority AND loyalty deserve recognition, and I’d like to take this opportunity to highlight 6 chefs who have been with us consecutively for every Baconfest since our humble beginnings in 2009: Chris Pandel, Gilbert Langlois, Rick Gresh, Troy Graves, Pat Sheerin and Nathan Sears. You guys are the greatest. We would not be here today were it not for you.
So many people are working to make the day spectacular. Please read about them below.
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. We’re pleased to add The Cooking Chicks to our roster of sponsors as well!
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 will be on hand with their vino – Tenuta Santome’, the Official Bubbles of Baconfest Chicago as well as still wine from Girasole in Mendocino, CA.
Stay tuned for info about the folks who’ll be exhibiting in the Vendor Expo! Confirmations are still rolling in, so we’ll devote a separate post to them.
Below are the stars of our show, your 2012 Baconfest Chicago Exhibiting Chefs/Restaurants.
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
Schedules are subject to change slightly!



























