Chicago’s Wondrous Festival of Food

Chicago’s 20th century booming industrial and transportation hub has evolved into today's metropolitan sector of big business. Chicago is actually a giant organism. Its skyscrapers float upon the lofty clouds overlooking the blue and stunning Lake Michigan vista. The Kennedy, Eisenhower, and Stevenson expressways bring all the essential business and intellectual nutrients to sustain the core nucleus of that vast organism. The fuel for the organism that is this city is it’s Wondrous World of Food. On one level, of course, food is sustenance. It supports life; fueling us to get up each morning and perform our daily grind routine. However, for Chicago, food is much more than pouring a bowl of cereal in the morning and scampering off to work. Whether it's grabbing a juicy Chicago-style hot dog while catching a ball game during the day, having dinner with family at one of our many famous pizzerias, or dining grandly in one of our noted restaurants, Chicago’s universe of food purveyors caters to whatever it is you are doing, day or night. Apart from basic nourishment aspects, on an even deeper level, food feeds the soul; and as everyone knows, one thing this city has is Soul! One way we humans express appreciation for our loved ones happens when we break bread together. face-to-face with our loved ones sharing stories, ideas, and memories. The city of Chicago itself breaks bread with it’s citizens every year when it celebrates at the annual Taste of Chicago. Nestled in the forefront of Chicago's sky rise, the grand span between East Monroe Street and East Balbo Avenue is where all the festivities were on July 11th to the 15th, 2018. Seventy-two restaurant vendors, 25 of which were newcomers to this 38th Taste of Chicago, insured that this was going to be an exceptional event. These innovative restaurants and their team of chefs, social media writers, servers, and all other contributors presented a dazzling array of choices. You could find Italian Beef, Beef Curry with rice, Jerk Chicken to Buffalo Chicken; Fresh Mini Donuts to Churro Sundae’s. In the seafood category we especially took note of Lawrence's Fish & Shrimp and the food truck bearing the message “Lobster on Board” from the seafood restaurant “Da Lobsta". For these several days Chicago becomes the culinary capital of the world. Taste not only offered scrumptious food, but refreshing drinks and entertainment to make you forget the red-hot temperatures and Amazonian humidity! Music filled the humid air all across the greenery that Grant Park offered making it a cool place to be on a summer day in Chicago. Many of the attendees agreed! We interviewed Oscar and LaToya who had gone to Taste in other years and this time were back for more. Another attendee was Ugne Sitarz who said: "It is my first time at the Taste of Chicago. My favorite vendor thus far has been Esperanza. I had the Mangonada and Elote in a cup.” Another vendor the attendees enjoyed was at the Texas de Brazil tent where the smell of barbequed meat lingering in the air attracted hundreds of people to line up. Representing that restaurant was Meghan Holy who works as their Social Media Manager at corporate headquarters in Dallas, Texas. She explained: "Texas de Brazil is a proud participant in the Taste of Chicago. We have been here about seven years now. This event is very important to us because we love Chicago and and because this festival brings over a million visitors here! We get to showcase our restaurant, to tell people about our unique dining concept, and best of all, we get to be a part of the community.” And showcase they did. The Brazilian Sausage and Garlic Steak-Picanha with bun were very tasty. Taste of Chicago’s music jammed away on the Goose Island Stage. The seating area of the Petrillo Music Shell was a ticketed event but out on the lawn the music was free for all to enjoy. From Brandie Carlile to Black Star, from the Flaming Lips to The Boy Illinois, there was hip-hop, country, electronic, and many more genres of music to fill the souls of everyone anywhere within earshot; and all the while devouring delicious food. Those who may have missed out on the concerts nevertheless passed among the numerous lounges, beer gardens and opportunities for dancing as well as all the other types of activities and entertainment which the festival offered. For those who simply wanted to try some of the food and enjoy their day with some peace and quiet, Buckingham Fountain was right around the corner. And, a little bit further than that, a stroll alongside Lake Michigan would have eased anyone's mind while burning off some of the calories. In addition to acknowledging the vendors who provided the food and music, we must here call attention to the people behind them who made it all possible: those who set up all the lighting, sound systems and canopies, the Chicago Police who made us feel safe, and all the partners who made this event financially possible. We must here pay tribute to the talented people at DCASE, the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events. One person in particular who stands out in the department is Neal Heitz, Coordinator of the Taste of Chicago. Heitz first attended Taste as a child, and continued to do so well into his adult life. Working his way up the ladder at DCASE, he started as an intern. After he was graduated with a degree in Public Relations and Advertising, Heitz applied for a full-time position at DCASE and was hired. He told us: