Autumn openings you don't want to miss!

Jason Paskewitz is executive chef/partner at Gemini Bistro, set to open Sept. 9. (Photo: Gemini Bistro)


09.09.09.

Remember that date because that's when Jason Paskewitz (The Pump Room, Wave) returns prominently to the Chicago dining scene after a notable absence.

This time the quirky New York chef's taking his skills to Lincoln Park as executive chef and partner of Gemini Bistro, featuring modern-day dishes inspired by French, Italian and classic American preparations.

We've already indulged in some of the highlights from the dinner menu, including the Duck Confit Nachos (with shredded duck leg, manchego cheese and mango salsa), grilled Hangar Steak Frites (with mustard greens and poached lady apples) and the pan-seared jumbo sea scallops, so rest assured we'll be back to check out the rest.

Also promising is the brunch menu, which is always a good thing in this part of town. The stuffed vanilla brioche French toast and Cape Cod Lobster Roll are certain to be big sellers. And the Brunch Punch (made with flavored rum, fresh orange, fresh pineapple, grenadine and a dark rum floater) will make every Sunday a fun day.

The fall lineup for restaurant openings is bigger than the theater season!

Find out what's popping off here, including the first outpost of New York's Mercadito, Michael Kornick's DMK Burger Bar, former Food Network stars Hearty Boys' downscaled HEARTY and Jimmy Bannos' take on the gastropub, The Purple Pig.

Baller is 'generous with tip'

Miami Heat star and Chicago homeboy Dwayne Wade impressed the staff at Feast Bucktown Tuesday, according to an Ultimate Insider:

"Dwayne Wade and girlfriend ate at Feast tonight and earned big props from the staff for being generous with their tip. Not huge news, but lots of notables are less generous."

That's so good to hear considering that we hear so much about other pro athletes (We're looking at you, Jordan and Pippen!) not being as generous.

But is the real story here about who that girlfriend was?! Word is that Wade is currently dating starlet Gabrielle Union, so we're on the case to see if that's who was dining with him . . . .

We also hear the baller and girlfriend also hit up Roof after dinner.

UPDATE: Feast owner Debbie Sharpe confirmed Gabrielle Union indeed dined with Wade at the popular Bucktown restaurant, and the couple left a SEVENTY PERCENT TIP.

Well done, Wade!

Let's scream . . .

. . . for Ice Cream because today's National Banana Split Day.

Three luscious scoops of chocolate, vanilla and strawberry ice cream surrounded by a fresh banana, plus dollops of whipped cream, nuts and chocolate sauce that's all topped off by a cherry is how you do it old school at Margie Candies (two locations in Andersonville and Bucktown).

Or for a twist on the classic calorie buster, head to Quartino, which serves it up Italian style as Coppa al Banana: caramelized banana and biscotti complemented by vanilla gelato, whipped cream, chocolate sauce and white chocolate shavings.

We cannot leave out Scooter's, the amazing custard shop in the heart of Lakeview. Their Banana Splice comes with your favorite custard flavor, plus a sliced banana, chocolate, strawberries, pineapples and nuts.

And looking forward, there's certain to be at least one Banana Split among the frozen treats at the Chicago Luxury Ice Cream Festival, happening on Sept. 4. A number of local micro-creameries (Homer's Ice Cream, Black Dog Gelato, Castle Rock Creamery), pastry chefs and artisans will be on hand for you to indulge in their creations.

For $25, you'll also be treated to a grand tasting of rare ice creams, experience live demos and workshops, and participate in the Great Chicago Brain Freeze—a chef competition where guests get the chance to vote for the winners and taste the results.

Event happens 6-9pm Sept. 4 at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum (2430 N. Cannon Dr.).

Wacky, tacky email of the year!

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Power to Pork for second Wandering Goat dinner

Stephanie Izard is the executive chef and co-owner of The Drunken Goat, set to open in January 2010. (Photo: Stephanie Izard)


If you missed out on Stephanie Izard's much hyped Wandering Goat dinner that took place in July, have no fear, the second one's coming up on Sept. 2!

Word just came down that the Top Chef winner (and co-owner/chef of long-awaited The Drunken Goat) plans to pay homage to the hog at the next traveling dinner party, which will take place at a secret Chicago-area warehouse.

While listening to the casual sounds of local deejay RB, guests will enjoy the taste of Stephanie’s favorite beer from Three Floyds paired with specialties like Bacon Crisped Oysters, Bacon and Smoked Trout Salad with Heirloom Tomatoes, and Aji-Braised Pork Belly.

Those interested in attending the dinner should follow Stephanie on Twitter, where she will announce the ticket sale date and time. For $65, food and drink are included (secret location will be unveiled to ticket owners a few days before the dinner by email).

The first dinner sold out in less than 10 minutes, so have that credit card at the ready!

Word to self-entitled culilary students: 'You WILL be blacklisted!'

(Photo: Mark Mendez)


After Carnivale Executive Chef Mark Mendez ranted in an open letter to a wayward culinary student, a number of local chefs had his back, calling for an immediate blacklist of like-minded types:

Rob Levitt (Mado): "I was asked to talk to a class at Kendall a week from Monday. I am going to read this (letter) to them. Also, I think we should start a Facebook page listing the names of all the cooks/interns that have done something like this. I'll look into the legality of it. Beautifully said. In the midst of scrubbing down my kitchen tonight, I will raise a beer in your honor."

Timothy Cottini (Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba!): "Well spoken chefs! Blacklists I am in!"

Mark Steuer (Hot Chocolate): "Kudos, I'm giving a copy to my intern ASAP. Also, Rob I'm with you on the blacklist idea."

Cary Taylor (Chaise Lounge): "Mendez kicks ass! Totally on point. I've been telling people for the last few months that Mark is quietly one of the most important chefs in Chicago - from his focused cuisine to his dedication to local farmers and now to his recognition and outspokenness to a 'plague' in our industry. Bring on the Blacklist!!"

Weekend Tweet Beat

Rodelio Aglibot of Sunda. (Photo: Rodelio Aglibot)


What were Chicago's top chefs up to this weekend?! 312DD checks out their Twitter accounts:

Rodelio Aglibot (Sunda): "Uuuggghhh just had some pooork dishes at the Publican........happyy happyyy happyyy! I need a smoke."

Phillip Foss (Lockwood): "Crew kicked ass last night so I'm braving the 3 block line to bring in Hot Doug's for the team."

Stephanie Izard (The Drunken Goat): "Finally trying Nightwood for brunch today. Sooooooo hungry can't wait! Holy crap it is a gorgeous Sunday."

Eric Jorgensen (Sushi Samba rio): "Chef de Cuisine (Dan Tucker) is at the Bears game. Let the party begin."

Debbie Sharpe (Feast): "Chef applicants forgetting to attach resumes to emails. Huh? Will they also forget to cook the food?"

Cary Taylor (Chaise Lounge): "Cigar Sunday at the Peninsula hotel rocks! Hanging with wine director Mike Muser, Josh Moore from Hub 51. Good friends, good times!"

Local chef tells it like it 'tis!

(Photo: Mark Mendez)


Carnivale Executive Chef Mark Mendez is fed up with culinary students thinking it's easy to be a chef and wrote this open letter on his Facebook blog:

"I am angry, so forgive me if I rant. You gave notice after only two weeks on the job and then didn’t show up the next day and really screwed me. I know why you quit; it was hard work, harder than you thought it was going to be. The funny thing is, you worked an easy station and never even worked on a busy night, funny right? The sad thing is you don’t even know how hard it really is, or what it truly means to be a line cook.

"It’s not all your fault; they didn’t really prepare you for this in cooking school did they? They didn’t warn you that being a great chef requires first being a great cook. They didn’t tell you about the sacrifices you have to make, the hard work, the hours, the dedication, the commitment, the lack of sleep, the constant abuse of the sous chef, they didn’t warn you. You thought you would graduate from school and be like Thomas Keller in a couple years, that’s all it should take right?

"I know, I know, learning how to use you knife, make a great stock, or learning how to properly blanch vegetables is boring, it’s cooler to work sauté station or grill. I’m too old school anyway, no immersion circulators, no foams, no cutesy plates, no pacojet, boring really. Who wants to learn how to properly sharpen a knife or butcher a fish, so boring and tedious.

"Well I need to tell you a few things. One day, just maybe, you will be a chef somewhere. You will need to train and motivate the people who work for you, guide them, lead them, teach them, and inspire them. One day you will spend more time looking at a profit and loss statement than you do your station. You will miss prepping your station, making a sauce, butchering a piece of meat, even sharpening your knife.

"You will spend time in marketing meetings, staff meetings, partners meetings, vendor meetings, all kinds of meetings. You will spend more time in the front of house than you really want to; spend time outside of the kitchen promoting your restaurant, give interviews, agonize over food and labor costs, kiss your wife goodbye while she sleeps because you have to be at the restaurant early for some insane reason, and somewhere in there make sure you are serving tasty food. You will miss weddings, birthday parties, graduations, all kinds of things. You will alienate your friends and family because you don’t write or call enough. There are no sick days, personal days, breaks, this is not like a 9 to 5 job, get over it.

"Get ready for years of sacrifice, hard work, and stress. Learn as much as you can, read everything, ask questions, write things down, save your money and eat at other restaurants, show up to work early and offer to stay late, come to work on your day off just to learn how to make pastry or hone butcher skills. Taste everything you can, over and over, and ask the chef so many questions he gets annoyed.

"Take care of yourself and sleep as much as you can and skip after work drug/liquor binging, so you wake up ready and on time. Travel and experience another culture eat their food and learn to speak their language. Learn to appreciate the time you have right now, enjoy the ride, the process, don’t be in a hurry to be a sous chef or make a lot of money, it’s not about that and it never will unless you are extremely talented and lucky.

"There is only one Ferran Adria or Thomas Keller, or Grant Achatz, and they all have worked extremely hard to get where they are and continue to do so. Enjoy all the bullshit that comes with this life, embrace it, learn to thrive on it. One day, when you are an executive chef or chef/owner, there will be an epiphany so powerful you will have to sit down. You will understand everything every chef or sous chef yelled at you, you will understand why we work why we do, you will understand why our profession is so wonderful, so unique, and it will hit you hard.

"I can’t tell when or where this will happen but I promise you it will if you work hard and keep your head down and do what your chef tells you. So keep this in mind when I give you a hard time and push you, criticize you and refuse that day off request.

"Maybe the next job you have you will suck it up instead of leaving them short a line cook on a busy night."