taste-talks-chicago

Chicago, IL –Taste Talks, an innovative and experiential food symposium will launch in Chicago for its first year on Oct. 3rd-5th, 2014. Presented by chef, restaurateur and media personality Mario Batali and curated by local Chicagoan and James Beard Award-winning chef Paul Kahan, Taste Talks will bring together some of the world’s top luminaries in food – from writers to critics and chefs – to discuss, analyze, and theorize about the future of taste.

Paul Kahan, executive chef of Chicago’s critically acclaimed avec and Blackbird, will be curating all Taste Talks events and serving as The Master of Ceremonies. World renowned and one of Chicago’s top chefs with Midwest roots, there’s nobody better to host Taste Talks Chicago.

“Paul Kahan has always been at the top of our wish list when deciding who would curate our very first Taste Talks Chicago and we couldn’t be more excited about his involvement,” said Festival Director, Daniel Stedman. “We’re thrilled to highlight the diversity and innovation of Midwest cuisine and Paul is the perfect chef to help us accomplish that.”

Local hot spots Eataly, Open Secret Studios, and Palmer Square are slated to host several events throughout the weekend, including an All-Star BBQ, where elite chefs like Paul Kahan, Marc Vetri, Danny Bowien, Matty Matheson, Rick Bayless, Jason Hammel and Amanda Cohen will be participating.

Taste Talks Chicago will also present panels on the future of food, drink, and the restaurant business including, “Businesses that Last, Restaurants 10 Years Later,”a panel on restaurants with staying power moderated by Wailin Wong, editor of The Distance; “American Cider in the Midwest” moderated by Kate Bernot from RedEye Chicago; and “The Wildest Beers in Town” moderated by Michael Kiser from Good Beer Hunting and will feature several Chicago-area brewers.

In addition to curating the “Mother of Pearl” dinner hosted at Kinmont Restaurant and All-Star BBQ duties, Paul Kahan will be joining Marc Vetri, Dave Cleverton and Michel Nischan to discuss the world of farm-to-table dining on the panel, “The Evolution of The Farm Dinner in City Dining.”  In addition, Chef Rick Bayless will take part in a one-on-one interview discussing his career and passions. And to help attendees bolster their Instagram food shots, Huge Galdones, Johanna Lowe and other successful food photographers will show the crowd the tips and tricks that will help tell a better story through taste at their “Food Photography and Storytelling Technique Lab” panel.

Other chefs and food influencers who are involved include Dave Cleverton of Kinnikinnick Farm, Jessica Murnane of One Part Plant, Jake Bickelhaupt from 42 Grams, Food Stylist Johanna Lowe and Anne Owen of Owen + Alchemy.

Leading food startup Dinner Lab will also present a one-night-only pop up dinner at an undisclosed location as part of the festival with Pat Sheerin from Trencherman.

Northside Media Group is proud to have support from amazing sponsors including OpenTable, and Miracle-Gro AeroGarden. Stay tuned for more details on the creative activations they will be showcasing this October.

To purchase tickets or for more information on Taste Talks visit: taste-talks.com/tickets-chicago/

 

About Northside Media Group:  Northside Media Group defines and showcases trends in technology, tastes and style through media and events. Brooklyn based, we embody the local essence of ‘what’s next’. Our key products are the Northside Festival, The L Magazine, Brooklyn Magazine and Taste Talks. Find out more on http://www.northsidemediagroup.com/ and https://twitter.com/TheLMagazine