Results tagged “johnmanion”

Meet Andrew Hroza. The chef and certified Cicerone (the beer equivalent of a sommelier) has just been promoted to fill the formidable shoes of John Manion at Goose Island's two brewpubs. It was announced last week that Manion will be taking over for Bob Zrenner at Branch 27 effective December 2. Hroza's resume includes working as a caterer for musical acts such as Prince and Van Halen.

It's fun when chefs play musical chairs. The same day that word spread about Dale Levitski taking over at Sprout came news from Chicago mag that Bob Zrenner was leaving Branch 27, effective this Thursday. Zrenner will doing some consulting work.

Now here's a dinner that's a steal at $17. Every month Goose Island Clybourn's John Manion smokes and roasts a whole pig from Slagel Farms and serves it up with a single side dish he makes at the last minute, depending on what flight of whimsy overcomes him. This month's roast is Wednesday Thursday. The roast begins at 6;30 and lasts until that pig is gone.

Not on the payroll at Goose Island Clybourn (yet!) but some spring cleaning of the hard drive unearthed this shot from our visit there a few weeks back. Wished it wasn't hidden, because this was going to be included in that post.

George Rasmussen of Swan Creek Farms provides quality artisan meats to restaurants throughout the city. More recently, Rasmussen has been a beneficiary of spent brewers grain from Goose Island's Clybourn brewpub. One of the early hits of John Manion's still-evolving menu overhaul there is the sliders made from Swan Creek's "beer-fed" pork. While making local deliveries a week ago Rasmussen lost his truck, trailer, generator and a lot of food intended to customers to a fire.

  

Since Goose Island renewed the lease on its Clybourn brewpub in December, there's been a sense of excitement around the premises. While the emphasis on the brewing has changed from hoppy to sour, the food menu at Goose Island is undergoing an even more radical transformation under the guidance of new Executive Chef John Manion (ex-Mas and Old Oak Tap). Manion is slowly updating the menu to bring it on a par with the Bristol, the Gage and Duchamp.

We were stoked when the news broke that John Manion of Nas and Old Oak Tap was taking over as Executive Chef of Goose Island Clybourn that we made it a point to pay a visit last weekend to see what changes were happening to the menu.