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
[catlist id=30 orderby=title order=asc numberposts=-1] DINNER Session 2: VIP Hour – 5:30pm-6:30pm, General Admission – 6:30pm-9pm
[catlist id=31 orderby=title order=asc numberposts=-1]

Schedules are subject to change slightly!

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