Recap: Chefs on the Grill

By Melissa Wiley in Food on Jun 22, 2012 6:00PM

Wednesday evening’s fifth annual Chefs on the Grill was a smokin’ affair. From rabbit bacon to octopus to lamb, all the victuals underwent trial by fire and came out, like an edible phoenix, the tastier for it. Benefiting the Special Olympics Chicago and hosted by ABC7’s Steve Dolinsky, the event enticed hundreds of philanthropic-minded carnivores out to Millennium Park’s Plaza at the Park Grill, where guests sampled their way through signature cocktails and goggled at flame-taunting chefs honing their grilling chops before voting for their favorites.

City Tavern emerged the cocktail winner, with a refreshing Fish House Punch (c. 1732 Philadelphia) made with Pierre Ferand 1840 cognac, black tea-infused Gosling’s rum, peach brandy, and lemon. Park Grill, meanwhile, took home the meaty prize of the night, winning for its surf, turf, and grind kabob, all neatly packaged in a vintage sardine can. Shrimp, beef tenderloin, house-made fennel and garlic sausage with chimichurri sauce, and garden vegetable slaw combined to make this the dominant crowd pleaser, though, truth be told, there wasn’t a stinker in the bunch.