Top Chicago Chefs Kick Off Music Exhibition With 'Rock Your Palate' Pop-Up Dinners

Spiaggia's Sarah Grueneberg and Boka/GT Fish & Oyster's Giuseppe Tentori (center). (Photos: Caroline Dixey)

So, this was pretty cool.

To kick off a celebration of Chicago's music heritage through December, MasterCard recently hosted a couple of Rock your Palate pop-up dinners featuring chefs Sarah Grueneberg (Spiaggia), Giuseppe Tentori (Boka/GT Fish & Oyster) and Dirk Flanigan (The Gage/Henri) at Lincoln Park's Floating World Gallery.

Behold The First Look at the Scorsese-Themed Menu at iNG

Here is the 10-course "Directors" menu for iNG's Scorsese theme. There is also a six-course menu available. (Photo: 312 Dining Diva)

The Scorcese-themed menu finally debuted Tuesday at iNG.

Available through November, the six- and 10-course menus at the edgy, Warehouse District eatery have been inspired by director/producer Martin Scorcese's most famous films.

What also sets the mood are the staffers dressed up in gangster-era gear, intense scenes projected on one wall (from "Gangs of New York" to "Goodfellas") and familiar music from Scorcese soundtracks pumping through the dining room.

Did Rockit Partner Really Neglect To Tell Partners He 'Bought Another Bar'?!

Rockit partner Billy Dec apparently purchased a new venue in River North, but his business partner Arturo Gomez claims on Twitter he had no clue.

Could this be a hoax?! I just don't believe this would happen.

Andrew Brochu is OUT at Graham Elliot

Andrew Brochu (Photo via StarChefs.com)

312DD broke the story Monday that something was going down over at Graham Elliot.

Now, Eater Chicago details the full story, including a statement from owner/chef Graham Elliot himself.

This is too bad because only in late January—Elliot announced excitedly this about Brochu coming aboard on Feb. 1:

INVITE: Swanky Cointreau Cocktails & A Party You Don't Want To Miss

What are you doing this Sunday?!

I've got five pairs of tickets to a swanky little soiree at Untitled that I'm dying to give away.

Hosted by Michigan Avenue magazine, The Audition Event will send one lucky local mixologist to the Cannes Film Festival in 2013 where he/she will compete for the title of Cointreau Ambassador of Libations.

Now, here's where you come in:

What Is Going On Over At Graham Elliot's?!

Just last month, Phil Vettel awarded Graham Elliot three stars in a Chicago Tribune review, so what's up with the turmoil behind the scenes?!

An Ultimate Insider tells 312DD that on Sunday afternoon some pretty intense disagreements between front of house and back of house had a few staffers walking out before service. They were so heated, in fact, that top management was called in to get matters back under control.

Charlie Trotter's, NoMI Alum Brings a Taste of Cameroon to the South Loop

Chef Alain Njike of Alain's Restaurant in the South Loop. (Photos: 312 Dining Diva)

So, 2012 is turning out to be quite a stellar one for Charlie Trotter's alums.

Former Trotter's Executive Chef Matthias Merges opened Yusho in the winter. Bill Kim debuted his third restaurant, belly Q, in late August. Graham Elliot opened G.E.B. also in the summer, and Curtis Duffy is set to open Grace later this fall.

Also tossing his hat into the ring of rock star spots is Alain Njike, who opened Alain's Restaurant in the South Loop in early August. But what sets Njike apart from the others is that he's bringing a cuisine to Chicago that's never been done before—particularly on an upscale level. His contemporary American menu is highly influenced by flavors from his homeland on Africa's West Coast.

Moto's Homaro Cantu Offers a Solution to the Chicago Teachers' Strike

Homaro Cantu (iNG/Moto) expressed his frustrations of the latest news on Chicago's striking teachers on Facebook Sunday.

But unlike most critics, the award-winning chef didn't just complain, he offered a number of viable solutions that he wants to put into action immediately.