—Come together: In the wake of catastrophic flooding that has left communities across Valencia, Spain, in urgent need, Bonhomme Hospitality is coming together with chefs Marcos Campos and José Sosa as well as hospitality connoisseur Felipe Ospina to host a unique fundraising event on Monday, Nov. 18, at Bambola/Coquette/Expat, 1402 W. Randolph St.
“Relief for Valencia” will take place at 5-8 p.m., as Chicagoans gather at Bonhomme’s three West Loop restaurants to support World Central Kitchen’s relief efforts for those affected by this disaster. In the true spirit of Valencia, the evening’s menu will feature an array of dishes and drinks crafted to highlight the region’s rich culinary heritage; also, the event will also feature live musical performances by Jeilah, Eliana and Umberto. Some participating bars and restaurants will include Mirra, Sifr, Coach House, Lemon and Lilac Tiger; beverage partners include Specialty Ice, Beam Suntory, Haku Vodka and Tromba Tequila, among others. For tickets, visit this link.
—Changes: Starbucks is ditching its controversial olive oil-infused drinks less than a year after introducing them, according to CNN. The “Oleato” offerings will disappear in early November as part of a plan to simplify a menu that new CEO Brian Niccol called “overly complex.” Oleato was the idea of former CEO Howard Schultz.
However, Niccol has also said the company would restore a station with milk and sugar (or a “condiment bar”) to its thousands of U.S. cafes beginning next year. “Our customers are asking for it, and our baristas are saying it would help them deliver the speed of service that they want to provide,” Niccol said.
And those are not Starbucks’ only changes, as the holiday menu is back with six seasonal treats, per Food & Wine. The seasonal lineup brings five holiday coffees—including returning alum Peppermint Mocha—as well as a new Cran-Merry Refresher, a savory pastry and three new sweet treats. Other holiday brews include Caramel Brulée Latte, Chestnut Praline Latte, Iced Sugar Cookie Almond Milk Latte and Iced Gingerbread Oatmilk Chai, and you can top your coffee(s) with Peppermint Chocolate, Sugar Cookie, Chestnut Praline and Caramel Brulée cream cold foams. Food-wise, there’s the turkey sage danish in addition to the sprinkles-topped Dark Toffee Bundt, Penguin Cookie and Snowman Cake Pop.
—Expansion: Ballyhoo Hospitality announced the opening of its second DeNucci’s location—and this one’s in the suburbs. (The first one is in Lincoln Park.)
The launch of the Highland Park location marks the group’s 11th restaurant. Named after family friend Joseph DeNucci, the restaurant celebrates East Coast Italian heritage. The menu at DeNucci’s features classic dishes like artichoke vesuvio, orecchiette pugliese and veal scallopini along with New York-style pizzas crafted from Salvatore “Sal” Lo Cascio’s recipe, including gluten-free Sicilian-style options.
—Now we’re cooking: On Thursday, Nov. 21, luxury boutique hotel Pendry Chicago and French brasserie Venteux will once again present Chicago Chefsgiving in partnership with Chicago Chefs Cook.
The one-night-only dinner at Venteux—located on the ground floor of Chicago’s historic Carbide & Carbon building on Michigan Avenue—will feature a lineup of some of the city’s top chefs, including Art Smith (Reunion), Sarah Stegner (Prairie Grass Cafe), Javauneeka Jacobs (Frontera Grill), Tigist Reda (Demera), Arshiya Farheen (Verzenay), D’Andre Carter (Soul & Smoke), Rickie Perez (Logan Oyster Socials) and Carla Henriques (Hawksmoor), with host chefs Marcel Heiduk (Venteux) and Mark Shoemaker (Pendry Chicago); they will work together to create a multi-course, family-style meal. James Beard Award-winning sommelier, experiential storyteller and lifestyle expert Belinda Chang will be the emcee for the evening.
Before the dinner, Chicago Chefs Cook will present a reception and informal panel titled “Nourishing Chicago: A Discussion on Food as Medicine” in Venteux’s daytime cafe. Journalist Jamaica Ponder will moderate the event.
The event charity beneficiary is Common Threads, an organization that provides culinary and nutrition education programs throughout the country, working closely with families, schools and community-based partners. Tickets for the dinner are $150 + tax, inclusive of gratuity and wine pairings for each course, and can be purchased through Eventbrite here; $50 of each ticket sold goes directly to Common Threads. Smith; his husband, Jesus Salgueiro; and CEO Linda Novick O’Keefe are all co-founders of the organization.
—Teamwork makes the dream work: Hyde Park spot Daisy’s Po’Boy & Tavern is teaming with Monteverde Chef Sarah Grueneberg through November to raise money for a great cause.
For November, the Po’Boy of the Month that Grueneberg has created features a breaded chicken thigh po-boy with marinara sauce, mozzarella, iceberg lettuce, pepperoncini slices and vinaigrette, sprinkled with Parmesan cheese. Proceeds from the po’boy sales will benefit the Virtue Leadership Development Program—an organization helping local young adults of color to lead, manage, change, solve problems, identify opportunities and execute them strategically.
—Winner, winner, Founders dinner: The third annual RL x CL (Rachel Lynn x Corri Lynn) Founders Dinner will take place at the Sofitel Chicago on Friday, Nov. 22, 6-8:30 p.m.
Guests will experience an evening filled with food, fun and surprises—and they will receive an exclusive RL x CL gift pack. A four-course menu—with scallop aguachile; Spanish octopus with mole; confit veal loin with roasted squash Tlacoyo; and pineapple ‘’panna cotta’’ tamale—awaits, with each dish accompanied by a tequila cocktail pairing.
Tickets are $280 each. RSVP here.
—I get a kick out of you: In case you didn’t know, National Espresso Day will take place Nov. 23—and several local restaurants are celebrating.
Farm Bar’s signature Chai Espresso Martini blends vodka, chai, salted caramel, espresso liqueur and cold brew for a twist on the classic. LG’s Bar & Kitchen has the Espresso Old Fashioned, with Casamigos Añejo, coffee liqueur, cinnamon, and chocolate bitters; the Frozen Irish Frappe, with Irish whiskey, Baileys, espresso, vanilla cream and whipped cream; and the Espresso Yourself, featuring espresso vodka, coffee liqueur, vanilla bean simple syrup, and fresh espresso. And Sifr’s twist, Wahid, incorporates Middle Eastern spirits made with bourbon, ume, vermouth, coffee and walnut bitters.
Also, Dearly Beloved’s concoction is made with tenjaku vodka, good liquorworks coffee fruit vodka, Big Shoulders espresso, mascarpone and Faretti biscotti liqueur, and is topped with a biscotti tuile. “It’s a functional interpretation of a biscotti, using almonds, cocoa, and milk chocolate in a crispy tuile cookie,” Dearly Beloved Pastry Chef Steve Laydon said in a press release.
—Pop life: Please don’t forget that I have another column called Pop-Eds. My latest article covers my thoughts on the documentary Martha, atheist chaplains and Donald Trump’s Cabinet picks. Check it out at Andrew449.substack.com.
Drop me a line (hot news, tips, etc.) at future3733@yahoo.com. Also, check out the full SAVOR column (more news, interviews, etc.) at Future3733.substack.com.
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Until next time…