Mary Madison happily shares her food with all.
The era of the celebrity chef is in full swing, and the Taste of Chicago is only too happy to embrace the trend. In addition to the dozens of culinary artists toiling at the booths throughout Grant Park, several spotlighted chefs will take the stage to give cooking demonstrations daily. Let our guide to the top chefs at the Taste fill your mind with knowledge—before you fill your stomach with their food.
Mary Madison – Lagniappe (Booth 56)
At Lagniappe, Chef Mary Madison's Cajun Creole "joynt," she works from scratch, searing off the onion and green pepper, making the roux and throwing the crawfish in the pot only after you place your order. Madison's ambition and vision rival her culinary chops. Prior to starting Lagniappe in 1999, she began serving home-cooked meals to a handful of people under Lower Wacker Drive, an endeavor that has grown into a ministry that feeds more than 150 homeless people every other Sunday. Sample her magic with a Taste menu that includes a crawfish boil, catfish po-boy, chicken and waffles and beignets.
Maneet Chauhan – Vermilion (Booth 10)
The ubiquity of cheap Indian joints on Devon and scattered throughout the city makes it hard for the cuisine to escape its populist roots. That is, until Chef Maneet Chauhan married the chutneys and tandoor roasted meats of her native Indian cuisine with the chilis and corn-based ingredients of Latin America. This high-end fusion results in an inspired new way of eating, some of which you'll find at the fest, with offerings like BBQ tamarind pepper boneless rib sandwiches, mango cumin-dusted fries with chutney, char-grilled tandoori chicken with mango and a chipotle madras curry turkey burger.
Kazimiera "Kasia" Bober – Kasia's Deli (Booth 53)
Though these days, her children and grandchildren are helping her sling her trademark pierogies, Kasia is a legend whose spirit lives in every one of her meat-, vegetable- and potato-stuffed dumplings. She immigrated here in the 1970s and worked a variety of odd jobs, but it was her cooking and the opening of her deli that earned her numerous awards. President Clinton and Mayor Richard J. Daley, among other honorable dignitaries, have a fondness for her creations. You can sample potato, sauerkraut, and beef versions in Grant Park.
Rick Tramonto – appearing at Dominick's Cooking Corner, noon, June 28
Be careful the next time you yell at that bumbling fast-food jockey. He could just be America's next Top Chef. After all, Tramonto, the king of the caviar staircase—the whimsical culinary mind behind Tru, Tramonto's Steak and Seafood and so much more—got his start flipping burgers at Wendy's. He's the mad-scientist godfather, the pre-cursor to Achatz, Bowles and Cantu, a man who understands high-end dining doesn't have to be fussy, but it does have to be fun. There's no word on what he'll be cooking at this demonstration, but we're pretty sure after his appearance on Top Chef, there won't be any of those frozen scallops that sent Spike home.
Greg Christian – appearing at Dominick's Cooking Corner, 1 p.m., June 29
Greg Christian's out to save Chicago schoolchildren one school lunch at a time through his Organic School Project. The program, which provides a classroom curriculum of healthy mindfulness, a live garden growing component and healthy, organic school lunches is a remarkable example of positive change and leadership. Christian, who got his start in the legendary but now defunct Gordon restaurant (now Naha) also has some pretty good cooking chops, and his organic and green-focused catering operation Get Me Greg's is a tasty alternative to those blah boxed lunches you'll find in your typical corporate boardroom.
Steven Chiappetti – appearing at Dominick's Cooking Corner, 3 p.m., July 1
With his 1990s spots Mango, Grapes and then Rhapsody, Chiappetti helped lead the new wave of Chicago celebrity chefs. He left the spotlight to raise his kids, but in the last few years he's quietly turned out reasonably priced, inspired plates just off the Magnificent Mile at the re-imagined Viand. His truffle and red wine ravioli is a showstopper, and his junk food cart—featuring home-made versions of dessert classics like whoopee pies, chocolate chip cookies, and root beer floats—will send you into a delightful sugar shock. He also grew up as a member of the famous Chiappetti lamb family, so if you love a good rack, loin or chop, he's your man.
Art Smith – appearing at Chef's Table Cooking Tent, July 4
He may be a big burly bear of a man, but Art Smith is probably the closest thing we've got to a down-home Southern chef. With his goat cheese biscuits, fried green tomato napoleons and buttermilk fried chicken, you can taste and see his soul and personality on every plate. Smith is generous and his love spills out at his restaurant, Table Fifty-Two, and through his non-profit organization, Common Threads, which inspires and teaches children about the world through cooking. It's impossible not to mention his stint as Oprah's personal chef, and you can rest assured, his cooking was one of her favorite things. Check it out for yourself when he serves up pistachio chicken, country grits with shrimp and hummingbird cake on July 4 at the Chef's Table Cooking Tent.
Geno Bahena – appearing at Dominick's Cooking Corner, noon, July 4
With Ixcapuzalco, Chilpancingo, Tepatulco, Mi Sueno and the soon-to-open Real Tenochtitlan, this protege of Rick Bayless has had almost as many restaurant openings as the McDonald's corporation. His rigorous attention to authenticity has provided Chicagoans with a true taste of Mexico, and it has influenced the local dining landscape, paving the way for spots like Sol de Mexico and the burgeoning Nuevo Latino movement that thrives in the Windy City today.
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