Reminder: Chicagoist's Benton House 'Ramova Room' Soup Kitchen Jan. 24

By Chuck Sudo in Food on Jan 8, 2013 7:20PM

Ramova Grill's former counter, holding a buffet of food, Sept. 8, 2012. (Chuck Sudo/Chicagoist)

We’re two weeks away from our Jan. 24 soup kitchen benefit at Benton House in Bridgeport. Featuring an all-star lineup of chefs including Nightwood’s Jason Vincent, Pleasant House Bakery’s Art Jackson, Vera’s Mark Mendez, Allium’s Kevin Hickey, Zaytune Mediterranean Grill’s Daniel Sarkiss and the Bridgeport Pasty Company team of Jay Sebastien and Carrie Clark, this lineup features chefs who work, live in or near, or grew up in the “neighborhood of mayors.”

The benefit will be held at Benton House’s “Ramova Room,” where the counter, stools and seating from the late Ramova Grill wound up after its closing last May. Benton House volunteers worked for months to rehab and install the furnishings, giving them a second life while staying in the neighborhood. Benton House’s history goes back to the days of Chicago’s settlement house era; today its pantry serves over 1,100 meals to needy Bridgeport residents a month.

Mendez hinted to Chicagoist he may try to make a tribute to Ramova Grill’s chili, while Sarkiss said he’s leaning toward a lamb yogurt soup. Vincent is working on bean and belly soup. Pleasant House Bakery is providing the vegetarian option with Moroccan tagine soup with winter squash, chickpeas, currants and coriander, while Bridgeport Pasty has a Tuscan bean soup with a chicken stock base. With all this cooking talent volunteering time and resources, we’re suggesting a $10 donation for the event, which will benefit Benton House’s food pantry.

As we near the date of the event, we’ll post more updates. So keep reading or visit the event’s Facebook page and let us know you’re coming.

Benton House is located at 3052 S. Gratten Ave.