Chefsgiving: Chicago Chefs Band Together to Raise Funds for Pilsen Food Pantry in Charity Dinner

Pendry Chicago and French brasserie Venteux present Chicago Chefsgiving in partnership with Chicago Chefs Cook. Chicago Chefsgiving is a five-course dinner benefiting the Pilsen Food Pantry. The one-night-only dinner taking place on November 9th at Venteux, located on the ground floor of the Pendry hotel, gathers a lineup of chefs including Marcel Heiduk (Venteux), Devon Quinn (Eden), Dudley Nieto (Fat Rosie’s), Rodolfo Cuadros (Amaru), D’Andre Carter (Soul & Smoke), Manny Mendoza (Herbal Notes), and Felicia Mayden. Co-host of NBC’s “Chicago Today,” Matthew Rodrigues, will be the emcee for the evening, guiding the meal from Manny Mendoza’s Smoked Prawn Tostone to Felicia Mayden’s Caramel Apple Swiss Roll.

The Chicago Chefs Cook organization, led by Chef Sarah Stegner, Eda Davidman, Jodi Fyfe, and Darren Gest, has raised over one million dollars for global and domestic causes such as earthquake recovery in Syria and Turkey, flood relief in Northern Italy, hurricane relief in Puerto Rico and wildfire recovery in Maui. The Chicago Chefs Cook team turns its attention to the rising number of displaced migrants arriving in the city. “Our view is that no one goes hungry or unnoticed. With winter fast approaching, we’re racing against time to make sure that people have their basic human needs met,” said Gest. Charitable funds raised by the Chicago Chefsgiving event will be donated to the Pilsen Food Pantry’s “New Migrant Program,” a dedicated effort that provides shelter, food, clothing, and healthcare resources to Chicago’s newest arrivals.

Chicago Chefsgiving is part of a larger charity initiative for Pendry Hotels & Resorts, the which launched its first Chefsgiving event at Pendry San Diego in 2018. The event, raised funds for the San Diego Food Bank provided meals for 125 families. A portion of each ticket for Chefsgiving will be donated towards a local cause in each of the property’s respective markets in line with the spirit of giving back during Thanksgiving. 

COCKTAIL HOUR WITH CANAPES

• Tostone – smoked prawn, grilled creamed corn, black truffle, finger lime (Chef Manny Mendoza, Herbal Notes)
• Wine Pairing - Chandon Brut

FIRST COURSE

• Pan Fried Brussels Sprouts –  sourdough sikil pak, spiced chili oil, corn chow chow, Mick Klug Farm grapes, pepitas (Chef Devon Quinn, Eden)
• Birria en Salsa Fresca – slow braised short rib, guajillo adobo, tomatillo-serrano avocado salsa in a small tostadita (Chef Dudley Nieto, Fat Rosie’s)
• Wine Pairing - Terrazas Chardonnay

SECOND COURSE

• Fall Inca Salad – quinoa, maiz cancha, white wine cranberries, cucumbers, roasted corn, basil, cilantro, eneldo vinaigrette, kabocha squash (Chef Rodolfo Cuadros, Amaru)
• Wine Pairing - Whispering Angel Rose

THIRD COURSE

• Turkey Au Vin – roasted turkey breast, confit turkey leg, local chestnut mushrooms, crispy pancetta, Robuchon style pomme purée using fingerling potatoes, le Beurre Bordier (Chef Marcel Heiduk, Venteux)
• Cajun Grilled Pork Loin – pork loin, Soul & Smoke Gold Sauce (Chef D’Andre Carter, Soul & Smoke)
• Wine Pairing - Skyside Pinot Noir

DESSERT

• Caramel Apple Swiss Roll – spiced cake, apple butter, vanilla cream, toasted walnuts (Chef Felicia Mayden)
• Cocktail - Nitecap: Hennessy VSOP, oloroso sherry, vanilla bean, lemon, cane sugar, nutmeg