You may recall that Rick Bayless helped ring in the new Kids Café at the Marillac Social Center on the west side, one of eight throughout the country sponsored by Uncle Ben's rice to raise awareness of the growing hunger issue in this country. The goal of the café is to eventually serve over 12,000 meals in the next twelve months and to teach children about healthy eating and exercise habits. more ›

The cooking demonstrations at Chicago Gourmet were easily the more popular events, despite the fact that tasting the prepared food was a no-no. Since tasting food at the entire event was a seemingly rare experience, who cares? Viking set up two pretty sweet kitchen counters and induction stovetops side by side, so that two chefs could simultaneously prepare dishes, taking turns describing their process and dishes. The Pritzker stage was very effectively transformed into a cooking studio. The induction ranges meant that water boiled at lightning speed and sauces sometimes bubbled over the top of pots but that dishes were completed in the 30 minute allotted time slots. Large, tilted mirrors above the kitchens allowed guests to see the action as it took place. more ›

We've been reading My Last Supper, a book that asks 50 chefs what they would eat for their last meal. It made us wonder about what we'd choose for our last meal if our choices were limited to restaurants in Chicago. Here are some of our picks: more ›