Here Comes Fall's Biggest Foodie Fests

Blackbird's Paul Kahan (from left), "Top Chef" winner Richard Blais and Perennial's Paul Virant are set to appear at Chipotle's first-ever "Cultivate Chicago" event in October.

If you thought summer's chef scene was busy, just wait until we roll into fall. Holy Smokes will it be a busy one as event after exciting event happens with some of the biggest names in the biz.

Green Tie Ball returns after taking a year off in 2010. The theme is A Return To Emerald City, and organizers have secured more than 40 restaurants and four food trucks to serve up signature bites. Just a taste of the talent: The Drawing Room, Four Seasons, Jam and Owen & Engine. 6:30-8:30pm (VIP); 8:30pm-1am (GENERAL ADMISSION) Sept. 17. $125-$250. Get tickets here. A. Finkl & Sons (2011 N. Southport Ave.).

Local and national culinary stars will be everywhere you look at Chicago Gourmet, happening at Millennium Park Sept. 23-25. In addition to daylong chef demos, wine and food tastings, seminars and competitions, there is the second-annual Hamburger Hop, taking place Sept. 23. That's when a number of local restaurants compete to find out who offers the best burger in town (last year's winner was NoMi's Ryan LaRoche, who's a judge this time around). You can also score a free day pass for Chicago Gourmet by participating in the Dine Around program. Buy tickets to Chicago Gourmet here.

Hot on the Radar NOW . . .

Union Sushi + Barbeque's ritzy Up Bar lounge. (Photo: Union Sushi + Barbeque)

Cocktailing, a little couture and River North's newest burger bar are on my mind this week:

Californian Tim Goodell was named a Best New Chef by Food & Wine in 2000, and now he's making his mark in Chicago with a burger concept. 25 Degrees boasts a number of signature sandwiches and boozy sippers. We're especially excited about the decadent-sounding #2, which comes with roasted tomato, crispy prosciutto, burrata and pesto. Um, yum. You also have the option of "crafting" your own burger from a selection of meat, cheeses and sauces. Also looking forward to sampling the Salty Caramel "spiked" milkshake with Bulleit bourbon, butterscotch, vanilla bean ice cream and Hawaiian red sea salt.

Chicago q fetes its first year with its very own private label bourbon. q Bourbon is distilled by Evan Williams and single-barrel aged for 10 years. You'll be able to get it in $2 pours, served on a silver tray, neat, accompanied by a rocks glass with a house-made 1.25-inch ice cube and an eye-dropper filled with distilled water. The special bourbon will also be used in a refreshing Ginger Fizz for $5. It's available Sept. 4-10.

More than 40 of Chicago's most influential women will walk the runway during a fashion show at the Palm Court at The Drake. If you want to know what you should be wearing this fall, you'll want to be here. Fashions from Bloomingdale’s, Mark Shale, L.K.Bennett, Karen Millen, Club Monaco and more. VIP ($50) and general admission ($25) tickets are available here. 6-8pm Thursday.

It’s Time For Another Female ‘Top Chef’

The Bristol's Executive Pastry Chef Amanda Rockman. (Photo: Bravo)

If you combine all the Top Chef franchises—Top Chef, Top Chef Masters, Top Chef Just Desserts and Top Chef All-Stars—that's almost totaling 15 seasons of the popular culinary competition.

But all those seasons have managed to result in only one female Top Chef winner, which, of course, is Girl & The Goat's Stephanie Izard.

That's just crazy!

Another Chef Showdown Coming Soon!

Yet another chef competition is coming, this time benefiting the Special Olympics.

A number of the downtown area's culinary kings and queens are set to go head to head in the fourth annual Chefs on the Grill event at the Plaza on the Grill from 6-9pm Sept. 14. Each chef will whip up a signature dish, then guests vote on their favorites. The winning chef gets bragging rights to the Chefs on the Grill trophy until next year's event.

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The Most Annoying Part of 'Top Chef Just Desserts' Premiere

Amanda Rockman of The Bristol. (Photo: Stronghold Photography)

Excuse me for the early rant, but I'm a little miffed about Wednesday's premiere of Top Chef Just Desserts.

Of course it's partly due to the fact that we haven't had a Chicago girl chef on the popular Bravo franchise since Girl & The Goat's Stephanie Izard won in Top Chef season four.

But it mostly has to do with how the only Chicago contestant, The Bristol's Amanda Rockman, was introduced to viewers during this premiere.

How Many Bloodys Can YOU Put Down?!

Morso's $30 all-you-can-drink brunch deal includes a signature Bloody Mary. (Photo: jamco new media)

I know how much everyone loves to indulge in brunch during spring/summer, but have you seen the menus at this fall's hottest new restaurants?!

From foie gras "Pop Tarts" at 2Sparrows to Morso's $30 all-you-can-drink deal of Mimosas, Bloodys and the signature Choo Choo Cable Car, I check out what's certain to be the season's best brunches in the monthly GRUB GUIDE To What's Hot in DiningChicago.com.

Latest Obsession: The Robata Grill

Roka Akor's steak made over the robata grill. (Photo: Roka Akor)

This year, four new restaurants popped up on the Chicago scene focusing on the robata grill—a traditional style of barbecuing that's been used in Japan for hundreds of years.

But what sets some of these spots apart from others is that few feature the binchotan Japanese white charcoal, which is only used on authentic robata grills. Others put prime slices of meats, seafood and veggies on specially made gas grills.

Want to know more about the robata grill trend and what sets it apart from what we've been used to as far as barbecue?! I checked out these new spots on The U's You & Me This Morning.

You'll certainly be hungry after you watch!