Lite Bites: What Your Favorite Chefs & Mixologists Are Up To Around Town This Week

New food from The Aviary (Photo: The Aviary)

What is FAME?!

• New The Aviary chef Andrew Brochu is coming into his own at the award-winning culinary/cocktail lounge. One of his newest creations—egg en cocotte with truffles, truffle cream, brioche and Parmesan—sounds like a real winner. Something tells me it'll be there for awhile, but I'd still get on this one pronto.


Exterior of Burke's Bacon Bar (Photo: Burke's Bacon Bar)

• What should make you want to squeal is next week's debut of Burke's Bacon Bar, set to open adjacent to David Burke's Primehouse. Executive Chef Rick Gresh will oversee the operation, which will include creative takes on the other white meat. Look for nine different bite-sized "handwiches," including Five Spice Duck (smoked duck, Chinese bacon, hoisin sauce, cucumber, cilantro, scallions on a steam bun), Big Kahuna Spamwich (BBQ spam, pineapple slaw, bacon crumbs, homemade pickles on a King’s Hawaiian bun) and River North Bacon Dog (mustard, jalapeno bacon jam, onion, sports peppers, relish, celery salt, tomato on a soft bun). If that's not too much bacon for you, get a side of Crack Snacks—crispy tortilla strips with bacon and spices.

• One Off Hospitality kingpin Paul Kahan (Blackbird, avec, etc.) is set to be inducted into the Chefs Hall of Fame in October. It's sponsored by the Chicago Culinary Museum, and on August 15, there will be an afternoon press conference at Publican Quality Meats to announce the honor.


BellyQ chef/owner Bill Kim (Photo: BellyQ)

• Bill Kim (Urban Belly, BellyQ, etc.) keeps it sweet and spicy with a new collaboration with local chocolatier Katherine Duncan. Throughout the month, you can indulge in his Curry Truffle, made with tapioca, quince honey tea jam, kaffir lime and coconut milk. It's at Katherine Anne Confections and a portion of the proceeds benefits Common Threads.

• Hamburger Hop tix are on sale. It's Chicago Gourmet's annual kickoff event featuring area chefs battling in a burger competition as guests enjoy food, along with beer, wine and cocktails. 6-9pm Sept. 27. It's $115 per person.