Baconfest Chicago

Baconfest Chicago Cookoff Recap: Well, No One Died

The Golden Rashers
Baconfest Chicago proper won’t be for another six months, but if Saturday’s VIP pro cookoff is any indication organizers Seth Zurer, Michael Griggs and Andre Pluess might want to have some ambulances at the ready. Or at least some Lipitor. We won’t get into another debate [...]

Baconfest Pro Cookoff: we have a winnah
Posted by Mike Sula on Mon, Oct 26, 2009 at 12:20 PM

Ron Kaplan
Chris Pandel’s “breakfast braciole”
In terms of attendance, Saturday’s Baconfest Chicago Pro Cookoff [...]

Baconfest: An Ode to Pig Belly in Chicago
Posted by Daniel Zemans, October 26, 2009 at 5:15 PM
“If any attendees walked out of Baconfest disappointed, 100% of the blame falls on their defective palates.”

Inside-out pig in a blanket from David Burke’s Primehouse. [Photographs: Daniel Zemans]
You never know when inspiration is going to hit. For [...]

Bacon reaches new heights of popularity

By Rick Asa
Special to the Tribune
October 28, 2009

From the sublime to the ridiculous, bacon has the entire spectrum in tow these days. As cured pork belly reaches new heights of popularity, pop culture homages to this most tasty of treats are slamming head-on into parody.
Bacon-flavored rolling [...]

Two top chefs bring home the bacon at Pro Bacon Cook-Off
by Therese Ruiz
Oct 28, 2009
Pan fried. Seared. Braised. Slow roasted. Deep fried. Sliced and served to perfection.
Ten Chicago area chefs whipped up a variety of bacon dishes last Saturday, filling the lofty main room of The Publican with the meat’s smoky, distinct smell.
It was [...]

At Saturday’s Pro Bacon Cook-off, we were lucky to eat ten outstanding bacon-centric dishes.
During our video shoots, we tried to get the chefs to act macho and competitive about the Golden Rasher competition. We thought it would make good Baco-TV. But almost to a one, the chefs declined to crow and posture.
Giuseppe Tentori [...]

We had in the Baconfest gift bags:
Chocolate-Covered Bacon from Bleeding Heart Bakery
Bacon Bourbon Caramel Corm from Salted Caramel
Bacon Salt & Bacon Lip-balm from J and D’s
Bacon Maple Man-Bait Lollies from Das Foods
Bacon Maple Doughnuts from Glazed Chicago Donuts
Bacon Sea Salt Caramels from  Floriole Bakery
Bacon Peanut Brittle from Fig Catering
Coupons & Tchotckes from Provenance
Apologies  if you’re [...]

We’ll be posting much more info in the days to come, but for now feast your eyes on the delicious dishes and tasty beer pairings that our intrepid chefs put together for today’s wildly awesome cook-off:
Chef Giuseppe Tentori of BOKA
Black mole-infused pork belly, quince sauce, bacon and semolina gnocchi
Beer: Brasserie à Vapeur, Pipaix-Leuze, Belgium. [...]

Chef Langlois cops to burning toast and hints at what dish he’ll present that features “the candy of meats!”