Just 10 Days Until Chicago Chefs Cook Fundraiser
Also, Chicago Tomato Man sets May pickup locations
Help Earthquake Victims with this Pop-Up Feast
T-minus 10 days until the Chicago Chefs Cook for Earthquake Relief fundraiser. The fourth in a series of culinary fundraisers since last March will be held on Monday, March 20 at Avli on the Park restaurant, 180 N. Field Blvd., in downtown Chicago’s Lakeshore East neighborhood.
The event starts at 5 p.m. with a VIP hour. General admission will run from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. All proceeds will go to Chef José Andrés’ World Central Kitchen, which is providing millions of meals to victims of the catastrophic earthquakes in Turkey and Syria.
The generosity of Chicago’s restaurant/chef community is abounding and the food lineup for Chicago Chefs Cook events is always amazing, as you’ll see in the graphic below.
The Chicago Chefs Cook core team — Chefs Tony Priolo of Piccolo Sogno and Sarah Stegner of Prairie Grass Cafe; longtime Good Food advocates Darren Gest and Eda Davidman; and Jodi Fyfe, founder/CEO of The Paramount Group and its Eden restaurant — was recently honored by Chicago Tribune as “The Best Way to Make Change” in our region’s restaurant community.
The article notes that the ad hoc organization raised a total of $850,000 for humanitarian relief with its three 2022 events. That will surely top $1 million with the earthquake relief event, and a just-announced April 26 event, celebrating the 80th birthday of legendary restaurateur Ina Pinckney (the “Breakfast Queen” of Chicago), that will benefit Green City Market and food education non-profit Pilot Light.
The graphic below, shared on behalf of Chicago Chefs Cook, shows the many sponsors who have lined up for the March 20 fundraiser.
Meet Bob Zeni, Chicago Tomato Man
I recently shared that local legend Bob Zeni, aka Chicago Tomato Man, had opened online sales of his starter plants representing an amazing array of tomato varieties. Bob (he’s in the photo above) has provided some more background about himself and his business, with links to his online store and a calendar of dates and locations for pickup (beginning in early May).
Local Food Forum loves home food gardeners, and Bob Zeni has helped so many folks around here to raise their tomato game. Learn more below.
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My goal in life is to introduce everyone to the absolutely stunning flavor of a homegrown, hand-picked, sun-drenched, vine-ripened, heirloom tomato. I’m a certified master gardener who loves gardening and hates those little red water balloons at supermarkets.
What started out as a quest for a tasty tomato has evolved into a year-round obsession. Every winter, I review comments from happy (and unhappy) customers to learn their experiences. I pore over seed supplier lists, placing orders for favorites and unique, exotic varieties.
The 120 varieties we are selling through the Chicago Tomato Man website in 2023 are a stellar range of colors (pink, green, yellow, purple, black, crimson), shapes (round, elongated, pumpkin-shaped [but smaller]), sizes (marbles up to two-pound monsters), and flavors (extra sweet, tart, smoky).
Click links below to place your orders at the online store and to find your pickup options, with deliveries beginning in early May.