Taste Talks Food Festival Arrives In Chicago Next Week

By Melissa McEwen in Food on Sep 25, 2014 9:00PM

Taste Talks snacks from Bang Bang Pie Shop served at the Chicago announcement (Becky Rother / photo.beckyrother.com)

If you didn't get tickets for Chicago Gourmet, fret not because another food festival, Taste Talks, comes to town the following weekend from Oct 3 to Oct 5. This is is the second year of the conference, which started in Brooklyn, and for the first time comes to Chicago. Chefs Mario Batali and Paul Kahan will serve as presenters for the festival's collection of talks and dining events throughout the city.

Panels include "In Cider Spirit" a conversation about cider and its growing popularity led by Kate Bernot from the RedEye at Open Secret Studios (9401 N Racine Ave). "How We Eat Meat Now" brings butchers and chefs together at Kaiser Tiger (1415 W. Randolph) to talk about the changing meat industry and what it means for meat lovers. "Free-Styling with Ice Cream Desserts" brings some of our favorite ice cream masters like Jeni Britton Bauer (of Jeni's Ice Cream), Dana Cree, and Jessie Oloroso (Black Dog Gelato) to talk about create ways to serving ice cream.

The biggest food event is the All-Star BBQ, featuring BBQ dishes from chefs such as Paul Kahan, Marc Vetri (of Philadelphia's Vetri), Danny Bowien (Mission Chinese Food in SF and NYC), Matty Matheson (Toronto's Parts and Labour), Rick Bayless (Frontera), Jason Hammel (Nightwood and Lula Cafe) and Amanda Cohen (NYC's Dirt Candy). Other Taste Talks dining options include a Dinner Lab collaboration with Pat Sheerin (Trencherman) and a Mother Of Pearl dinner at Kinmont including chefs Alfredo Norgeira (Analogue) and Abraham Conlon (Fat Rice).

View the full schedule and purchase tickets on the Taste Talks website.