The 'I Cook For' Benefit at The Four Seasons Chicago [LIVE]

And just in time for the National Restaurant Association descending upon Chicago - we are thrilled to highlight the inspiring work of our partners at Chicago Chefs Cook during their incredible work of gathering top leaders within the hospitality industry to raise money for five incredible causes at the 2nd Annual 'I Cook For' Benefit at The Four Seasons Chicago. 

Throughout this episode we explored protections for our industry, food insecurity, agriculture, heritage and building a legacy for oneself while ensuring no one is left behind. 

This episode is a special archive of how all aspects of community can align to produce tremendous results for members of our collective communities. 

Sitting down with all aspects of our industry truly exemplified how exciting this work is and truly how communal our impact is. 

In closing, we are proud to announce that this incredible event raised $10K for EACH organization highlighted below. 

We empower you to look into their missions and support in any way that moves you. 

Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights 

Camp Kids are Kids Chicago 

Soul & Smoke Foundation 

Women's Chef Exchange 

Frontera Farmer Foundation 

From us at Terms of Service - we want to thank our partners at Square and San Pellegrino and Acqua Panna for their support and to you; our listeners. 

We'll see you out there. 

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Subscribe to our YouTube Channel here and show us some love on the reviews - wherever you get your podcasts. 

It matters and so do you. 

Transcript

SPEAKER_04 0:04

Hi, I'm Jessica Nat Graham.

SPEAKER_03 0:06

And I'm Nareba Shepard.

SPEAKER_04 0:08

And this is Terms of Service.

SPEAKER_03 0:10

And we're looking at cameras.

SPEAKER_04 0:14

Well second Assy.

SPEAKER_03 0:15

I was just double checking.

SPEAKER_04 0:16

No, you're you're all good. Um we're here at the four seasons for the iCook4 Benefit. Second annual iCook4 Benefit, which is absolutely phenomenal. And I'm just like, where did the time go?

SPEAKER_03 0:29

Literally a year has passed. Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 0:32

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 0:33

Crazy.

SPEAKER_04 0:33

Hell yeah.

SPEAKER_03 0:34

Well and they invited us back for some reason, so.

SPEAKER_04 0:37

You know, because it's all good times. That's nice. Yes. How are you doing?

SPEAKER_03 0:40

Um, chilling. I'm excited. It's like way busier this year than it was last year. I know this is like a sold-out situation. So, you know, shout out to everyone who is here to support great causes.

SPEAKER_04 0:54

Absolutely. And with that, Heather, how are you?

SPEAKER_08 1:00

I'm good. I'm happy to be here.

SPEAKER_04 1:02

Hell yeah.

SPEAKER_08 1:02

Love Chicago Chefs Cook and then I cook for benefit.

SPEAKER_04 1:05

Yeah.

SPEAKER_08 1:06

And here we are.

SPEAKER_04 1:07

Yes. So can you talk to us a bit about how you're involved with this beautiful event?

SPEAKER_08 1:13

Yeah, so we have been doing Chicago Chefs Cook since the inception. Uh DeAndre and I both uh sit on their Chef Steering Committee. Oh yeah. Um I think we have done just I think I don't think there's a Chicago Chefs Cook event that we have. Yeah, you haven't, yeah. Yeah, for sure. So I mean, everyone that I've been to, you've been to. Yes. So we're always there, always happy to be present. You know, this year, last year we did where every chef chose a different organization. Uh this year we wanted to make a bigger impact among fewer organizations. So what we did was we sat down and we talked about like what organizations matter to chefs. Or not what or what causes? Causes, yes. And so we started identifying causes and we identified immigration and food insecurity and regenerative agriculture, um, women's cooking and leadership, um, childhood cancer was one that came up. Um, I think that's all five tests, didn't it? Yes. Yes. Nailed it, nailed it, yes. Um, you know, and then uh the like the real board got together and started talking about what organizations, and they chose the Soul and Smoke Foundation to represent food insecurity, which was just that's awesome. So awesome. I totally didn't expect that.

SPEAKER_03 2:29

And it was I mean, y'all like were helping out hard during COVID. Yes. And so like it makes sense that that's like where y'all would land because it's what you've been doing since the beginning.

SPEAKER_08 2:43

Yeah, since you know, we guys are just phenomenal people as well.

SPEAKER_04 2:48

Yes.

SPEAKER_08 2:49

You know, we're really proud of our community. We're based in the fifth ward in Evanston, which is you know, Evanston's really famous for their um reparations program, which is in large part because of the redlining that occurred in our neighborhood. So when COVID hit and the talk of the Evanston schools closing, it was a no-brainer that we could get food to the community that actually needs it. You know, we talk about Evanston being a diverse community. Well, it is diverse in skin tones, but also in socioeconomics. Yes. We have which a lot of people don't know. Yeah, we have mass wealth, but we also have poverty. Um, so it made sense that we could be the helpers in that situation. We had our kitchen, we had our team, we had direct access to the community that needed the help the most. And so that is kind of where we ended up in COVID, and we um ended up getting grants from the Evan State Community Foundation, Rural Central Kitchen. And we just had we were doing you know hundreds of meals a day. We were, you know, doing up to 500 to 1000 meals per day for the better part of two years during COVID. Um, but then after that, we really transitioned to our community fridge, which has now been open outside our building for the last three years. And if you sit on our patio on any given day, you will just watch constant rotation of food going in and food going out. As soon as you fill it, um, you know, it gets emptied. We've been able to repurpose so much of the food waste that we have in our restaurant, as well as food that just isn't is perfectly servable but not sellable. You know, like we really hold our line that we serve, you know, only fresh meats every day. Any meats that aren't served go into the fridge, cornbread muffins, things like that. Um, but then also byproducts of foods that we don't use go into the fridge. So from all of our rib tips, we cut off the breastbone. Where, you know, if you watch like old school people on the south side, they're like hacking because the breastbone is still in there. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So we remove the breastbone because we have like a little sexier of a slice.

SPEAKER_03 4:51

But later that's usable. But it's certainly usable. Yeah.

SPEAKER_08 4:54

Um, so like those get seasoned every day and smoked um and go into the fridge. Um, it's the most popular thing. I think there's a text line when breast bones go into the fridge. Got you. Yes. Um so like all of that um goes into the fridge, and like hundreds and hundreds of meals um a day still go into there. Um as well as the community helps us, it's open 24-7.

SPEAKER_03 5:18

And I feel like people don't understand like how much usable food just like sort of ends up in the trash. I remember when I was doing like my culinary like program, all the food that we got in was from like grocery stores that couldn't sell it, but it was perfectly usable. And then the community kitchen like like training class would essentially process all of that and turn it into food that went into the pantry that was like fully cooked, just like reheated and went out. And so it's like great that more people are sort of like thinking about the long-term use of what others would consider waste.

SPEAKER_08 5:59

Yeah, I mean it really is. I think that restaurants have such a synergy to community fridges. I, you know, there's certainly a stigma, I think, around a restaurant putting a community fridge because you get, you know, people that you may not want at your restaurant, which just sucks. Yeah, um but it's a thing. It's terrible. Yeah, it's horrible. And you know, so we're really proud to have it. I think that more restaurants should have community fridges. You know, we have found the community to be very respectful. Like, sure, are they sitting on our patio sometimes? Yeah. Yeah. You know, but they're our neighbors and they're part of the community.

SPEAKER_04 6:34

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_08 6:34

Um, yeah, so that's what we have. We have our community fridge. We're working on a leadership development program right now that we're really, really excited about. You know, I think that changes.

SPEAKER_04 6:46

So cool.

SPEAKER_08 6:47

Thank you.

SPEAKER_04 6:47

Just like cool, cultural, great people.

SPEAKER_08 6:50

We try. I love it.

SPEAKER_03 6:50

You know, but like I think that as leaders, it's our responsibility to make the industry better, make the food system better, and find ways that make sense, that yeah, that's equitable for everyone, instead of just like helping a specific demographic, which I think that like a lot of people when they think of Evanston, like you said earlier, they think of the all the wealth, but not necessarily of the places that are not getting the same access to resources as other areas. Yeah, for sure.

SPEAKER_08 7:24

So, yeah, no. Yeah, people are like, oh, you went to Evanston, Evanson's Evanston's rich. Well, some of Evanston's rich. Yes.

SPEAKER_04 7:32

But not all, but not all of it. Okay, it's just like that's a thing. 100%. So for this event, what would you like for people to know and to take away from it? Um because you need to get back out there, right? I just want to be back out there with you as well, as much as we love being in here. As well. Um duality.

SPEAKER_08 7:54

Duality, yeah. I love that. Um so I think the biggest takeaway, I think, is that all of the chefs, I think, in Chicago, we really have come together as a community, and I think COVID did a lot of that. I think that pre-COVID we all lived in a lot of silos. And post-COVID, you know, obviously we came together first for Ukraine, which was so impactful. I mean, I remember telling DeAndre, like, you just need to know which of my earrings are real and which aren't, in case we have to have to flee in the middle of the night. Because like that's what you're hearing coming out of Ukraine, and like it was scary, and we all came together and we threw big events, and you know, and it's really awesome. And the impact that chefs can have in our communities and for causes that matter to us are huge. I think Chicago Chefs Cook has done a really great job of being able to bring chefs together, find out the causes that matter to them, and make it a tangible, impactful difference.

SPEAKER_03 8:44

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_08 8:45

That's your soundbite.

SPEAKER_03 8:46

I was about to say, I'm a soundbite as well.

SPEAKER_08 8:49

Because that was amazing.

SPEAKER_04 8:51

Well, Heather, thank you so much.

SPEAKER_08 8:53

Absolutely, thank you.

SPEAKER_04 9:01

Hello. Hello, yes, by the way, welcome back. It's so great to see you again. Cannot believe that it has been a year. Yes, absolutely. And Chef, hello, thank you so much for joining us. My pleasure, absolutely. Yes, five minutes. Yes, yes. I was just like going to keep this as clear and concise as absolutely possible. Okay. So, how are you feeling about this evening? If you can talk about, you know, your organization and and all of the things, because this is so exciting.

SPEAKER_00 9:29

I really like this event because of the fact that we're raising money that's really close for things that are really close to us. Oftentimes as chefs, we get invited to do all kinds of fundraisers. And we want to support the community, but sometimes they really don't have anything to do with us. And in this case, because we're actually able to raise money for a foundation that we started 25 years ago, it can be one of the of the charities that's funded here. It's very important for us. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_04 10:01

Yes. And so can you speak a bit about um your your organization? Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 10:07

Yes. So the the organization is called the Frontera Farmer Foundation, and we started it uh 25 years ago. Wow to because we had so many farmers that couldn't supply enough product for our restaurants, and we just needed to see them grow. So we decided to do this foundation, and we have now almost invested four million dollars in small grants in local family farms, 250, I think we're up to now, that many farms. And every year we add to it and we the dollars go up. But I will tell you that when they get the call that they have been awarded one of our grants, and I'm we were talking small grants because the what goes a long way. What farm family farms need is a infusion of some money for capital so they can get the stuff that they needed, need. So most of our grants are fifteen thousand dollars. And so it's for a for a family farm, it's a huge amount, and it helps them get that new tractor or that hoop house or the watering system, or whatever the a refrigerated vehicle so that they can bring the stuff to our restaurant and other restaurants and farmers' markets.

SPEAKER_03 11:20

I think it's very um special that chefs restaurants are starting to look more at the like regenerator regenerator uh regenerative. It's a really hard word to say um part of agriculture because I feel like in the bartending world or like in the spirits world, people are looking at that more and more when it comes to like specifically agave stuff. So I think that it's important that we are doing it in like the microcosms within our communities.

SPEAKER_00 11:55

Yeah, I think we have to. Yeah, we got it. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_03 11:57

It's the only way to make it sustainable long term.

SPEAKER_00 11:59

Yes, exactly. It's all about grassroots everything. How we started our foundation, we have never had a paid member of our staff or anything, it's all volunteer, and that way every penny that we raise will go straight to the farmers. So we've got our fingers crossed that we're gonna walk away from this event with $15,000, which will be another family farm that gets stuff that it really needs to become more profitable and productive.

SPEAKER_03 12:29

Well, it's sold out, so I'm hoping that fully happens for you today. Yes, yes. Yeah, it's so important.

SPEAKER_04 12:33

Yes. Yeah, and so I know that we are in in the middle of service. You gotta go do your thing. Is there anything else in addition that you want the people to know?

SPEAKER_09 12:43

Um, well, for the Farmers Foundation, we actually host it at Frontera. Okay. And it's a big fundraiser. Yeah, the big fundraiser. We actually host it at Frontera, and it's so fun because the shops get to do something creative, and we design like a whole different menu for it. And each shop gets their own course, and we just get to be spontaneous and do really cool things. So that's something that we look forward to as well.

SPEAKER_00 13:03

So we encourage all of our listeners to please, please, please join us. We have it in the spring, we haven't announced the date uh when it uh when we're gonna do it, but I will tell you it's a really fun evening.

SPEAKER_03 13:18

And people you should drop the Instagram so that people can follow you.

SPEAKER_00 13:23

Yeah, so mine is uh Rick underscore Bayless and certainly I announce it on that one so people can do that. But Frontera Grill has its own Instagram as well, so that people could follow there. But um, we call it the dinner like no other because we are going to serve you something that we will never serve again in the history of our restaurants. Not all, it's rarely Mexican food. Sometimes we'll put one course that's Mexican in there, but it's as Javonica says, it's just uh so much about all the chefs being spontaneous and doing fun stuff. Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 14:00

And that's what it's about getting a little bit of joy in the moments where we're to the max.

SPEAKER_04 14:05

Absolutely. And on that note, get back out there and have so much fun, my friends. Thank you so much for taking the time. My pleasure. So nice to chat with you guys. Thank you. So we're back with another guest, and my friend, can you please introduce yourself?

SPEAKER_14 14:23

Yes, so my name is Awa Kone. We literally just met. Yes, best friends though.

SPEAKER_04 14:28

Yes, absolutely.

SPEAKER_14 14:29

Um, so my name is Awa Kone, and I'm the CEO and founder of Mum, and we make um artisan salts and caramels, elevating African ingredients.

SPEAKER_04 14:39

Cool, okay. So then how, like what what brings you to the I Cook for benefit this evening?

SPEAKER_14 14:47

Um, so first is the love of food, right? Um, but I'm also one of the brands that is involved in the gift bag. So we've provided products. Great. Um, we're super excited about supporting the community and supporting the chefs and supporting this event. Yes. Um, Here Here Market, I think they're the ones curating the gift bags. Absolutely. It's one of our partners, and so we were so happy to participate.

SPEAKER_04 15:10

Yeah, I was just like, we love Here Here Market um because they uh showed up for us um for something a couple months ago at another venue when we had a live recording. So shout out to them, thank you so much.

SPEAKER_14 15:23

Absolutely. Uh, we really love what they're doing, and they're providing so many opportunities for new brands like ours. Please. And so, you know, we're exciting. I have some products here actually. So, this is our grinders for our salts. This is our hero um bestseller smoked salt. Do you need one thing that I will do? And then this is the caramels. Yes.

SPEAKER_04 15:44

And one thing that I was going to say is you will get this one for me.

SPEAKER_03 15:49

Oh, it smells so good. Yeah. And the cap isn't even like fully on.

SPEAKER_14 15:53

Yeah, this is barbecue in the jar.

SPEAKER_03 15:55

Yes, it is. It's accurate.

SPEAKER_04 15:57

See, love, love that. As soon as I saw this, I almost wanted to say that's nice.

SPEAKER_03 16:02

It's so cheap. That's real nice.

SPEAKER_04 16:04

Because it's giving real.

SPEAKER_03 16:06

And it's like, well, oh my god.

SPEAKER_04 16:08

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 16:09

I put that shit on at work the I'm I put that on at work the other day. This is for charity. Um, oh my goodness. It's not an overwhelming, like, I don't want to say saltiness, but it's giving saline in the best way. Yes. And the flavor is like all the way through. It's just not like, you know how sometimes you get like a seasoning salt, and it is just the outside of it. It's all the way through. I really appreciate that.

SPEAKER_14 16:38

Yes. So this is all organic. Uh, we use real ingredients, no additive, nothing. Um, and it is chef crafted. We smoke it for 10 days with African beachwood. So it really gives you that smokiness. It stays in your steak. All the way through. Chicken, veggies, cocktails, everything.

SPEAKER_04 16:55

How did this come to be?

SPEAKER_14 16:57

Um, so you know, when we looked at the premium and gourmet space in food, there was zero representation for African ingredients. Which is wild. Right, which is absolutely unreal. And so we decided to do, we decided to do something about it.

SPEAKER_04 17:12

Yeah, we hear you, shocker. Right?

SPEAKER_14 17:14

Yes, mm-hmm. So we decided to do something about it, um, and we really wanted to make sure that the aesthetics was going to represent and show how premium we wanted to position our ingredients, right? So our mission is really to change the narrative around what it means to be made in Africa.

SPEAKER_03 17:33

Oh yeah. I respect that.

SPEAKER_04 17:35

Amazing. Okay, well then as we wrap up, what are additional things? And like how we would like to find you also. How would you do the things? The social media, the DMs, the website. Drop it, drop it all.

SPEAKER_14 17:49

Yes, so we are available online. Um wwwn-o-r origins.co. We're available on social media, uh Noom Origins. We are available at Airwan in LA. Um that's my flashlight retailer.

unknown 18:06

Right?

SPEAKER_04 18:07

Yeah, yeah. Do it right. Yeah, right. I was like, okay. Now we know why the movie is. Now we already, yeah, okay.

SPEAKER_14 18:18

All right, if you if you're gonna do it, do it right. We deserve to be there. So we're you know, we're at Airwan, we're at Potash, we're expanding in retail. Um, we're doing a lot with gifting as well because the packaging is so beautiful, and this isn't this is like the gift that people will actually use. So she corporate gifts, personal gifts.

SPEAKER_04 18:38

Yeah, amazing. Well, perfect. Well, thank you so much for sitting down with us. Thank you. I appreciate it. Of course, and I have someone that I want to introduce you to. Oh Cassine. Yes, I mean this. You already knew. You already knew. You already knew. You already you already knew. But yes, thank you. Thank you so much. Of course, sweet ones. Yes, thank you. And we're back with another Ness. So check one, two.

SPEAKER_03 19:03

Um reintroduce yourself to the masses.

SPEAKER_11 19:06

Ladies and gentlemen, my name is Damon Patton, co-founder and CEO of Moore's Brewing Company, Chicago's Black Oak. That's right.

SPEAKER_03 19:12

Walked in here with a beverage just for himself. No one else.

SPEAKER_11 19:16

Has been known.

unknown 19:17

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 19:19

You bring back the same energy as last year. Respect. I love it.

SPEAKER_11 19:22

I know. This is like interview number three, I think. Like two and two.

SPEAKER_03 19:26

I mean, yes, but it's been a year since the last time.

SPEAKER_11 19:29

Well, I love you guys. Moore's beer loves you guys. Just and his family is a fucking day one, so you know. Let's do it. What do you want to know?

SPEAKER_03 19:37

So, I mean, what have you been up to? Other than holding down the beer gate.

SPEAKER_11 19:41

A bunch of stuff I can't tell you about right now that we've already done it. Yeah, I know. Obviously, we'll see. But you know, uh, we got some announcements coming up that are gonna be stellar. I love that. Uh, but we have been working hard to keep this uh beer culture strong as a uh downtrodden environment, shall we say?

SPEAKER_05 20:00

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. Like down it as well.

SPEAKER_11 20:03

We're uh looking to open our new tap room space. We are coming out with another beer, we are getting ready to gear up for Emancipation Ball, we're throwing the Moors golf invitational. Uh we got we got a bunch of stuff. I don't know shit about golf. I'm so back at golf. That's all right. You can drink on the golf course.

SPEAKER_04 20:22

I mean, that is very true.

SPEAKER_11 20:23

That's you can drive the cart, bro. That's all I'm gonna do. I'm gonna drive the cart and drink beers. That's what I'm about to do.

SPEAKER_03 20:27

That's fair.

SPEAKER_11 20:28

I do not golf. I I I lived in Florida for 20 years. Yeah, I I tried in high school and couldn't do it. Like, coaches, everything. I hit that ball, it reverberates down to my big toe.

SPEAKER_03 20:43

You know, listen, if I hit the ball, which is crazy, because I played tennis, and I was actually very I was actually very good at tennis.

SPEAKER_04 20:48

I mean, my whole thing is just like miniature golf, I'd be fucking out. Yeah, you know, yeah, with the windmill. Come on, dog. Windmill throws you away. Like, come on, you know, I'm just You're talking about mini golf? Yeah, he's talking about mini golf. You're talking about golf golf. Yeah, he's talking, she's talking about actual golf. Yeah, but I'm talking about mini golf. Yeah, I crushed the windmill. That's what I'm saying.

SPEAKER_11 21:10

You got time it just right. We should go to the bunny hutch. I don't know what that is. We can figure that out. They do it out in uh uh like Maggie Daly Park's got one.

SPEAKER_03 21:18

Yeah, but it's kind of weak saw. That's what I'm saying. Bunny hutch. Okay. I don't even know what you were talking about. Like, I don't know what that is. This is not an ad for bunny hutch but you're from Chicago. I'm not from Chicago.

SPEAKER_11 21:29

Okay, that's that's what I'm looking. That's what it is. But listen, listen, listen.

SPEAKER_03 21:33

It is the jankiest looking thing. It's like if you're on Tui, I want to say, going towards the airport all the way up there. Listen, they have 36 holes and they have batting cages and like the jankiest. I'm down for batting cages. Um, and uh you could get like hot dogs and shit, obviously. Anyway, it's real nice in the summertime. They have those misters for all right.

SPEAKER_11 21:57

So we're going basically is what's about to do that. Okay, it sounds great.

SPEAKER_03 21:59

Yeah, we're

SPEAKER_04 22:00

I'm just like, I'm I'm down as long as it's that. And I will I will join you on like the big golf outing. Big golfing. As long as I can just crave chill.

SPEAKER_11 22:10

Yeah, you drive the car. Dude, we're gonna have celebrities at certain holes.

SPEAKER_03 22:15

Do you have a license?

SPEAKER_11 22:17

You don't need a license to drive a golf.

SPEAKER_03 22:18

You got a license? Of course I can drive.

SPEAKER_04 22:20

I can drive. Five years. Breaking news. Breaking news. Breaking news. It's five. It is weird, though, when people that I've known for quite a bit of time are in the car with me. They're like, you can drive. And I was like, Can I not?

SPEAKER_03 22:38

I was like, what are you talking about? I just re-listened to the episode we did with Kelly, like line Kelly, Kelly Ronzi. And there is a full five-minute conversation about Max and I not knowing that your glasses were one transitions and two that they were different from when we first met. That was crazy.

SPEAKER_11 22:55

Meanwhile, uh beer salesman question. Have any of you had Amores today?

SPEAKER_03 22:59

No, I literally went where the fucking.

SPEAKER_04 23:02

Exactly. So we'll rectify that immediately. Yeah, thank you so very much. But then also that brings us back to the iPhone too. Yeah, this, like, we will bring bring this all all back to center. Okay, my friend, what brings you to the I Cook for Benefit tonight?

SPEAKER_11 23:17

Um, we have been fortunate enough to sponsor this event. I think this is our third year. I I lose track now. Um but is this the second annual? It might be the second annual annual.

SPEAKER_03 23:30

But they've done other second annual but they've done other events.

SPEAKER_11 23:32

But we've worked with Chicago Chef Cooks since the beginning of this operation. Uh you know, Darren Guest is uh is a day one of the company. He's uh incredible. Yeah, done a lot of great work to make sure that I was informed on what was happening. And I have several other chefs here. Chefsara I've seen, Tickets I've seen, uh Darnell, I've seen everybody. There's a whole everybody's out there. So um, you know, we also have been fortunate enough to to work with all of those guys. And uh Chicago Chef Cook just kind of brings everybody together. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_04 24:07

Absolutely. So then just looking uh looking towards uh the future, what do you what do you hope this this night uh represents moving forward?

SPEAKER_11 24:19

World domination. Okay, so the mission for Moore's Brewing Company is to become the first African American owned nationally distributed brewing company in the history of beer in this country. I'm looking at it right like what the fuck is wrong with you? Like, so we're gonna we're gonna check that box and uh journey for uh Chicago chefs. There's a lot of chefs in this room that that need my beer in their rooms. We're playing Monopoly.

SPEAKER_03 24:50

All right.

SPEAKER_11 24:50

I love it.

SPEAKER_04 24:51

You know what?

SPEAKER_03 24:52

Respect.

SPEAKER_04 24:53

Perfect. Well, is there anything else that you would like to say before we're up?

SPEAKER_11 24:57

Mooresbeer.com at Moore's Beer.

SPEAKER_04 24:59

Plug it, plug it, plug it, let's go.

SPEAKER_11 25:01

Again, I am first a beer salesman, so that's what we're doing here. And I hope all of you assist us in our mission to become nationally distributed. We need more demand to do that uh in the top ten cities in America and that's the club. Oh yeah, fantastic. Well, next week.

SPEAKER_04 25:17

Love you guys, love you too, you guys are freaking awesome.

SPEAKER_11 25:20

Thanks for having me. Of course. You go drink now.

SPEAKER_04 25:23

Yeah, yeah. And also, you're not gonna bring us beer. Yeah, you're not gonna bring us a beer.

unknown 25:26

Come on.

SPEAKER_11 25:26

I will definitely bring you a beer.

SPEAKER_04 25:28

Okay, thank you so much. And we're back, allegedly. Yes, allegedly, yes. Amanda, how are you and how are you feeling about this evening for the I Cook for Benefit?

SPEAKER_10 25:42

You know, I thank you for asking because I am feeling great. And I think um this event in particular, like compared to last year, was double fabulous. And I think what I loved about tonight is I got to walk in to set up before everyone else was really here. And I was like, oh my gosh, there's every major chef in the city of Chicago here representing, supporting Chicago Chefs Cook really rallies the community, and it was great to see all these incredible chefs. And I didn't really get to try all the food because it was so hectic in a great way. Yes, but everything I tried was delicious, yes, yes, and represented our hometown.

SPEAKER_04 26:21

Yes, absolutely. And one thing that I want to say is I thought that it was incredible for us being able to sit down however briefly with chefs like during service, you know. So thank you so much. Shout out to y'all.

SPEAKER_03 26:38

Wow, literally, wait, for regular folk, it is impossible to tear chefs out of a kitchen during service. Personally, I would have lost my goddamn mind. But um, I think because tonight it is all for charity and we want to continue to push this discussion into the universe so we can continue to do events like this and encourage other people to get involved in the same and also show up for one another as well.

SPEAKER_04 27:06

So that's the that's the biggest thing, right? Like showing the power in community as well.

SPEAKER_10 27:11

Showing up is the biggest part, and like before you guys were actually born, I was in the restaurant business. Oh my god. I know I like to like you know, okay, but I I was in the 90s, I don't know when you guys were born, but I'm just saying, but it wasn't I was around in the 90s but before it started. Okay, sorry, just checking. But uh back in the day, like the network wasn't like it's very strong now, and I feel that's what I love about being in this business is that you know the chefs show up for each other, there's always great causes, there's always things that we're affected by, and that's why I love Chicago Chefs Cook because when I was younger in the business, we didn't really have this outlet, and I feel this really allows people to like help each other out.

SPEAKER_03 27:51

I feel like also people need to understand that Chicago service industry is different than the service industry culture in other like major cities. Yes. And I think that in the 13 years, almost 13 years that I've been here in Chicago and in the service industry, I know for a fact that it would not have gone the same way if I stayed on the East Coast and tried to do this. Right. So shout out to the Midwest.

SPEAKER_10 28:21

We are unique, we are strong, every chef you know knows each other, there's no unfamiliar unfamiliarity, like everyone loves to support each other. Indeed, and that's what tonight is about.

SPEAKER_04 28:32

Yes, no, absolutely. And so before we wrap up, is there anything else that you would like to say in regards to this night and then everything moving forward for this industry and showing up for one another?

SPEAKER_10 28:42

Oh my gosh, my insight would be um well, I work for Marianos, which you guys know, and we definitely have like our biggest commitment is fighting hunger in the communities we serve, but also supporting the chef community because they have so many great causes, like as we all are here tonight. Yep. We're uh focusing on the Sol and Smoke Foundation through Mariano's. Yes, yes, um, we have a great taste maker program where our taste maker chefs really participate and help. And I think what we love to do at Marianos is like really like support the innovation that the chefs have in the city of Chicago, but also dig in and help. And um, I don't know, I think moving forward to answer your question is like we just need to help each other. We need to like know we have each other's back, we need to really support one another and raise money and raise funds and raise hope for all these great like organizations that we have because that's all that we got. Yes, damn right.

SPEAKER_04 29:33

Yeah, and on that note, thank you so very much. Oh my gosh, and also I'll see you soon.

SPEAKER_10 29:39

Soon, yes, I'll see you in a few weeks. Hopefully, like all of you guys, yes, yes, please, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 29:44

Yes, I was just like, I'm gonna put the blast out, it's gonna be incredible. And also, thank you so much for everything that you do, not just with Mariano, it's just for you individually. Because you're incredible. Oh my gosh.

SPEAKER_10 29:57

I'm gonna cry. I love you guys. Stop, stop.

SPEAKER_04 30:00

I was just like, it's true.

SPEAKER_10 30:01

I love what we all do, and I give you guys huge accolades for having us all here tonight talking to you. So it's a pleasure.

SPEAKER_04 30:08

Yes, thank you so very much. Uh so I'm still reeling from what we had just talked about. Okay. Um how are you this evening?

SPEAKER_07 30:21

Oh, it's fun. I love this event. You know, Chicago Chefs Cook, the community. It's like explaining to one of my GMs who's just joined us for our new project, Mariella. And I brought it on and I was explaining what this meant because she comes from a different thing. Well, if you don't know, okay.

SPEAKER_03 30:40

Let him know. No, no, no.

SPEAKER_07 30:41

I'm Rishi Kumar, uh chef owner of Mira down in Bucktown and uh about to open up Mariella on state in Washington in Chicago. So yeah, that is me. Been around in Chicago since 2014. Uh, my longest tenure here was uh I started as an intern and finished as a CDC with uh Chef Rick Bayliss. So I was honored, you know, worked in his group. Uh I had the fortune of being mentored by him really well. Uh so I tried try to take everything I learned in a good format and uh give it back to the Chicago community, and that's why I came back to do business in Chicago. Oh, yeah. Yeah, amazing.

SPEAKER_04 31:16

So how are you feeling about this evening? This evening is perfect.

SPEAKER_07 31:20

To me, it's like the I think this sort of kick starts our chefs like uh events that happen throughout the year all over Chicago. Uh we did the first one last year, and the com the the Chicago chefs community, uh everyone has grown. And this is like the tight tighter knit group or the closer inner circle who always inner circle, right? I don't know, or the nucleus of like we always show up to like without without any hesitation, it comes from a text message. So we're like, hey, we're we need to raise funds for this, that, and whatnot. Um, and we've done they've done it from Tigray to the California Friars, you know, all the different disaster relief chefs always step up first because to us it's just like we're like nothing else matters, we know the hardship, and we always have to give back because it's a full circle in our community as chefs. Like you always have to either give back to mentorship community, or else it's not fulfilling in our business models.

SPEAKER_03 32:13

So I mean I spent a lot of time in fine dining kitchens, and the one thing I would always remind people is that we chop vegetables for a living. This is the oldest form of social work feeding each other. Yeah, it's very serious, but it's not that serious. And so I think that tonight is one of those nights where there's a little bit more joy in the evening than like you know, and if you the state of the world crashing on us.

SPEAKER_07 32:40

And you the two of you know, like, you know, our Chicago communities uh of chefs are always like excited to the start of the year, so we get to reconnect and just catch up. A lot of it is just like we are pre-setup, right? Yeah, we come a little earlier and we're just like, hey, how's it going? How's business? Understanding each other's state of mind.

SPEAKER_03 32:59

Just coming out of restaurant week and like I'm lucky I didn't do it. Yes, accurate, and I ain't gonna do it.

SPEAKER_07 33:07

Accurate. And if I'm doing it, it means I'm broke, so probably yeah. It is not worth it in our business. Sorry, choose Chicago. You asked me to talk shit. That's the one I'm trying to do. Not worth it. Yes, your staff hates you for doing it. Right? And then your staff looks at you like you're a you know, money, you know, you're just like a like a money whore because of the.

SPEAKER_05 33:31

You can't go anywhere. Oh my god!

SPEAKER_07 33:32

And then and then you talk about trying to be equality and trying to bring your staff, make them happy. Like, all of them are just looking at you like you're an asshole. Why are you doing this? We don't need to do this. And I was like, so the first thing, like, chef, are we doing um restaurant? It's like, no, we're not. We don't need to.

SPEAKER_03 33:47

I am Mike Myers.

SPEAKER_07 33:48

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 33:53

Well, I like that a lot. Respectfully.

SPEAKER_04 33:58

I like it a lot. Yes, that was I mean, no notes, but um I try to overachieve. No, that was that was incredible.

SPEAKER_03 34:08

I am grateful for this evening.

SPEAKER_04 34:11

Regardless, that is going to be a soundbite in general. Like, yes.

SPEAKER_07 34:14

Um my business partners are going to be like, what the hell?

SPEAKER_04 34:17

We'll just shoot them, we'll just shoot. It'll be internal, we'll share it with you. It's fine. You know, it's great. I love it.

SPEAKER_03 34:23

It'll be a close-up rant. I like it. I like it.

SPEAKER_04 34:27

So move moving forward. Yes. Yes.

SPEAKER_03 34:30

Is there anything that you want people one to take away from this night? And two, if you could kindly let everyone know if you have anything special coming up you want to remind them of, and drop your socials so people can follow you.

SPEAKER_07 34:45

Yeah, 100%. Yeah. So uh I think what I enjoy about tonight's event in particular compared to last year, where everyone had individual uh organizations. This year we're really supporting this five big ones, and two that really is important to me. Uh, one as a chef is regenerative agriculture. I think we all need to understand that we need to know how our food comes through. It's the way I love as a chef to be able to work with our local farms, giving back to the community, even just in that small farm, and the one that's staring all of us in the face, immigration, right? It's a very difficult thing for a lot of people to go through. I'm lucky enough to come through the system through Singapore, born and raised. I got visa sponsorship. You know, I said my old employers had um they they really pushed me, and the government told me you have to be a model citizen, and I am the most model citizen, more model than any of the you know Americans that break the laws.

SPEAKER_03 35:39

You don't have to say shit. I'm in the process of renewing my green card right now, and it's just like can't say too much.

SPEAKER_07 35:45

You can't say too much, well also you have to abide by the law. But uh, what I always love doing is you know, to me, immigration is important. I have so many friends who have been affected by the policy that this administration is doing, and you know, that is so frustrating that we are almost helpless at a point. How many more no kings march you can do? You can't even do it now. It's like numb to your head. How many more bombings do you want to see in in overseas? My brother lives in Qatar, he's sending me videos of the bombs landing, and it's like they're blaming Iran, or do you blame America, or do you blame who it's like everyone's at fault? You know, why are we why are we who are we trying to blame? So we're we're in a very difficult time, immigration is important. I think the world, the fact that we are out there cooking food from different cultures shows that we're embracing immigr uh immigration about immigrants, yeah, and Chicago is the most perfect city to do that. Uh and obviously the other three charities that you know just supporting everything, and that's what we do here, and that's why I enjoy always participating in these events. Always there's all that camaraderie and really just taking care of each other makes you feel like there's something good still out there. Like we know we can look at each other, and like if we hold the fort, we can still ride this out a little longer. So uh that's that's my hope for the year 26, you know. Like we're doing that, and what midst of this probably nuclear war or global depth detonation, right?

SPEAKER_03 37:09

I don't want to play these student months.

SPEAKER_07 37:11

Yeah. Well, that's a funny part because I'm about to open a new restaurant and it's called Mariella, and with Zubair, me and David Moore, we're about to do it on State and Washington is the next chapter of the mirror group, yeah, showcasing global coastal cuisine. And we're like, wow, this is so exciting! And the next moment you see, like, oh, you know, we're gonna get bombed here in America too. And I'm like, you know what? Maybe if it happens, then we just don't have to pay people back, right? Whatever, you know, like it all doesn't mind. You know, as I say, we all when you're saying earlier, you know, it's not that serious after all. Whatever we eat is gonna go to shit. So maybe this whole world is gonna go to shits. So uh, why not live your best life, work honestly, do the hard thing that is difficult for some other people, and just say do the hard thing, which is uh work hard and be nice to people, which is a lot of people don't do, and uh just smile, you know? Or like like mankind say, have a nice day.

SPEAKER_04 38:03

And on that note, thank you so very much. Always a pleasure. Of course, thank you. Thank you very much.

SPEAKER_07 38:09

Thanks for having us.

SPEAKER_04 38:15

What's up, Joe?

SPEAKER_12 38:16

Hi, I wasn't prepped on this at all. No, I mean no, that's that's the whole point.

SPEAKER_04 38:20

Yeah, we're in it together. I obviously know who you are. Yes. So please introduce yourself to the people.

SPEAKER_12 38:25

So I'm Joe Spretnyak. I'm the culinary director of SMG Restaurants, uh, but I'm hubbed out of Apollonia in the South Loop as the executive chef partner. Um Justin and I met each other an embarrassing amount of years ago. Yeah, we don't have to intervene to say the years. At a restaurant named L2O. And then uh yeah.

SPEAKER_04 38:44

Yeah. Now we're here. And and now we're here. So can you talk to us a bit about your feelings of of the night and how it has been so far?

SPEAKER_12 38:53

Uh it's been a good night so far. Um, in terms of like logistics, it feels like am I supposed to want me to go into like versus last year?

SPEAKER_04 39:03

Shout out. Just you go ahead and we can yeah, yeah, yeah. I was just like, I was like, are you about to lose your mind?

SPEAKER_12 39:09

No, no, not at all. Um, this was a lot of fun actually this year, and uh it's nice to see a lot of friendly nice to see a lot of friends.

SPEAKER_03 39:18

For sure. Yes.

SPEAKER_12 39:20

Second annual. Is it the second one? It's the second one, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 39:23

I everyone I feel like is uh conflating other events with this one. Because some people have been like, yeah, this is my third time here, and I'm like, second annual. But but that's to say all of the work that is being done.

SPEAKER_12 39:38

Very much so. That's what I'm saying. No, this was great. It's good to see a lot of friendly faces, it's good to be here for a good cause.

SPEAKER_04 39:43

Damn. Um and also it's just like it feels awesome because it's it's literally community. Yes, so it's just like, oh my god, like it it was so great to to talk to Rishi, right? Yeah, because he's like, this is incredible, and also it's an early service, yeah.

SPEAKER_12 40:04

Which is also true. I like like he went straight for that.

SPEAKER_03 40:07

He ate that one, he ate with that one. I was like, listen, I get it. Rick Bayless being in and out being like, this is the middle of service. I was like, respect, thank you for even coming, because I would not have.

SPEAKER_12 40:17

Yeah, oh yeah, no. Rick, I mean, it's great to come to an event like this and then also see like Sarah Stugner being like the first person you see. Yeah, and then like showing up.

SPEAKER_04 40:26

Oh, she's coming. Where is she?

SPEAKER_12 40:27

She's coming around.

SPEAKER_04 40:29

I know. She's coming, she's on her way. So yeah.

SPEAKER_12 40:32

Yeah, it's it's great to see like all the people that well, sorry. It was great to see all the people that were, you know, really petitioning for the cause being like the first faces you see when you get here, which is really nice.

SPEAKER_03 40:40

And like what charity are you like part of the focus of tonight?

SPEAKER_12 40:45

Um the Frontera one. Okay, fantastic.

SPEAKER_03 40:48

Rejuvenative Agriculture. Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.

SPEAKER_12 40:51

We were very lucky to be able to do a couple events with uh Chef Rick throughout the year. We did the um ACLU with um at Chef Special. Oh yeah. We keep like crossing paths, so it's great to just keep seeing him. Oh yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 41:07

No, that's that's amazing. So then what's outside of this event, how has how's the industry been? How's how's the restaurant?

SPEAKER_12 41:18

You know the industry feels, I don't know, it's weird. The industry feels like it is on the come up again a little bit, but yeah, I think it just depends on who you're what sect of the industry you're talking to. I feel like some people feel like it never left, some people are still kind of like in the trenches. Um, you know, fortunately for our wavelength of restaurants, it does kind of feel like we're on the come up a little bit.

SPEAKER_03 41:38

I feel like I'm with you on that. I feel like it's on the come up. Um I'm now front of house, but I think that I've been at the same bar for the last three years, and I think this February March has definitely been different than previous February marches. So I feel like, yes, the industry is coming back overall. It is a slow build, and I get it. Um, people are very cautious, people spent a lot of time inside, and I think now we're getting to a point where people are like starting to remember that we were outside before.

SPEAKER_12 42:14

Yeah, 100%.

SPEAKER_03 42:15

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_12 42:16

I do think also, you know, depending on how you what you feel about the political climate, I do think that a lot of people also do still seek comfort or solace or just like a a desensitization to whatever's going on in their life. And it's like, how about we all just go out to eat and talk about whatever's in front of us for about 45 minutes?

SPEAKER_04 42:38

Right, that's nice. Because I mean people are craving that connection, yeah, as well.

SPEAKER_12 42:42

It's kind of like a common denominator, like you or most people love tasty food, so it's like it's a good benchmark to kind of start your like conviviality with. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_03 42:52

Gathering, coming together.

SPEAKER_04 42:54

So as we uh wrap up, because I I know you need to get back out there. Is there anything else that you would like to say to the masses? How do people find you? You personally, me personally, or the business. You know, a little column, a little column. There you go.

SPEAKER_12 43:12

Thank you for that selfless plug-out.

SPEAKER_05 43:14

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_12 43:16

Um, you know, I've spent most of my time in Apollonia. Um, I historically never have business cards. I'm historically a terrible networker because I'm usually very much like in the moment of service. Uh and even, you know, even Chef Stevens, like, you should probably go walk around for a while and say hi to all the people that you know. So, um, I mean, for the shameless plug, I'm always like attached to my Instagram. Yes. But you can find me at all the yeah.

SPEAKER_03 43:40

Let them know what your Instagram is.

SPEAKER_12 43:41

It's just it's Joe. Sorry, I keep doing that. I'm like I'm like off J O E period S P R E T N J A K.

SPEAKER_04 43:51

And that's on period.

SPEAKER_12 43:53

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 43:53

Don't put the Don't put the on period at the end. But don't put on period.

SPEAKER_04 43:57

Thank you. Yeah, don't put that in. Yeah, no. No. And then for the business. For the business?

SPEAKER_12 44:04

Sorry, I keep re- So for the business, you know, we don't have like a central page for all the restaurants. They're still kind of broken into their own um individual restaurants. So Apollonia Chicago, SKY Chicago, Valhalla, Lemistral, Soon to Be Haven, we're all super, we're as grassroots as we can be. So if you reach out to one of them and say, Hey, I wanted to find out more about this one person, as long as it's not like CD, we'll be like, oh yeah, you could go reach them at you know, there's no like I want to know that person's address. And it's like we're not gonna do this.

SPEAKER_03 44:37

No, this is not for personal.

SPEAKER_12 44:39

No, but if you know it's like, hey, we are interested in the event, or we feel like this, you know, that restaurant's food would vibe well with ours to do like something like that. How can I reach out to them? And with them and then we're an open door. Oh yeah. Fantastic.

SPEAKER_03 44:52

So reach out to one, reach out to all. These are your first.

SPEAKER_12 44:55

It's a hive mind.

SPEAKER_04 44:56

Yes. Very, very much that. But thank you so much. Great to see you. Indeed. Appreciate you.

SPEAKER_12 45:02

Pleasure meeting everybody.

SPEAKER_04 45:03

And I have to introduce you to someone. So always.

SPEAKER_05 45:06

He's always introduced to someone. All right, thank you.

SPEAKER_04 45:17

Oh, as we are winding down the evening, we have another guest. Yes. Please introduce yourself and bring the mic close.

SPEAKER_01 45:30

Alright, so I'm Darnell Reed. I have a restaurant in Chicago called Luella Southern Kitchen. That's right. There we go. Yes, amazing.

SPEAKER_04 45:39

Amazing. I love you guys. Thank you. Thank you. Yes. Continue. But incredible.

SPEAKER_01 45:45

No, we're in Albany Park. We've been around. Well, we've been in Albany Park only since this past August, but the restaurant itself has been around for 11 years now.

SPEAKER_04 45:54

Amazing. So how so can you connect us as to your support for the i Cook I Cook for a Benefit this evening?

SPEAKER_01 46:04

Well, actually, so our restaurant, we we've been involved with Chicago Chef's Cooks for a few years now. I think our first event was Chicago Chef's Cooks for Ukraine. So Chicago, the Chicago Chefs Cooks, basically, I believe in the mission. Yeah. So it's always for a good cause, it's always for someone who needs. And we're us as a chef's community, we're always people who can give, basically. Like we we enjoy giving. It's actually, I'm not, it's not even hard for us to actually cook up a good meal. And if we find out that now cooking up a good meal does something good for someone, that's a positive for us, too. So it's like a to me, it's a no-brainer that we should just we should just do it, you know.

SPEAKER_04 46:43

Right. Absolutely. Respectfully. Yeah, so then so can you talk to me a bit about just the background of Luella's for those that may not be familiar. Which you should be.

SPEAKER_01 46:59

Yeah, so so Luella, first and foremost, is my great-grandmother. She's from Mississippi.

SPEAKER_04 47:05

My aunt's name is Luella. Yeah. She's from Arkansas. I got you.

SPEAKER_01 47:08

And mine's from Mississippi. So it's a very, it's a very southern name. And that's so the funny thing is growing up, her given name is Luella.

SPEAKER_03 47:15

I'm from the deep south, and there ain't no Luellas in Trinidad. Luella no is a real thing from Arkansas. I was like, she's from there. Yeah. I mean, she probably came from there, but Luella originated definitely here, not there.

SPEAKER_01 47:33

Uh-huh.

SPEAKER_03 47:33

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 47:34

Understood. Understood. But but there's, I don't think there's many new Luellas. Bring it back. Yes. Bring back Luellas. Yes. Yes. Bring it back. She's from Mississippi. She moved to Chicago in the 40s. Um, I wanted to open a restaurant to honor her. And also for her namesake. She, so we opened in February 2015. She was three months. Yeah. She um she was very aware of what we were doing and everything, but she did pass away that year. She passed away October 2015. I'm sorry, they just went back. But she was, yeah, thank you. But she's um, she was very happy to know that we would open in a restaurant, naming it after her. Um, the represent the restaurant representing the South, and not just the South, but nostalgia. Because the food that she made for us growing up is what we offer in our restaurant. If you've ever been to the restaurant, we we play vinyls of music that I used to hear being played around her house. I spent a lot of time with her growing up. And um, our artwork is all from uh the TV show Good Times. So we have like Arnie Barnes artwork. No, that's all I just look at that the restaurant that way. Like we're hopefully creating new memories for people. Maybe in 30 years, someone would be like, oh, I remember I used to go to this restaurant called Luella's, and maybe they'll open their own.

SPEAKER_03 48:49

Listen. Listen, yeah. My whole thing is that we as people in the service industry make a lot of memories for people, and uh a lot of what we do is playing on the memories that people don't even know that they've forgotten.

SPEAKER_05 49:08

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 49:08

And so I think that tonight, especially, a lot of the food that has been out here has been bringing back memories and experiences that people haven't thought about for a long time. And I think that is a large part of the food culture here in Chicago, but generally in the world. And it's nice to be reminded that through everything we are making connections with food and beverage.

SPEAKER_01 49:37

Yes, we are, and a lot of times, well, actually, more times than not, it's it's organic as well. So even though, like I said, hopefully I'm creating memories when I'm cooking, I'm not thinking that.

SPEAKER_03 49:46

Like, oh, this is gonna be a memory. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 49:48

You know, it's just something that organically happens, happens in my own personal life too, because I can, like I said, we moved here in um August in Albany Park. It just hit me that we were in Lincoln Square for 10 years, someone shared an old video, and I was like, wow, so it's already like nostalgic. And I was that I was I used to be in Lincoln Square kind of doing the same thing. So hopefully our our customers kind of see things the same way.

SPEAKER_04 50:10

Oh well, then to wrap up, what what else would you like to express about this evening and Luella's?

SPEAKER_03 50:20

And if you got anything going on, coming up, yeah, how to reach you on social media.

SPEAKER_01 50:25

Well, no, for today's event, this is our second year, but I believe last year the causes were different. I think um, if I'm not mistaken, last year I was I raised money for Kitchen Possible. So it was like a group of um, basically organization that teaches kids the parallel of cooking and real life, um, getting yourself out of real life situations. Today was a little bit more serious because it was um, at least mine, I cook for like to to raise money for childhood cancer. And I know that that's something that the way I look at it is obviously, I know a lot of people, a lot of parents will look at it this way, that number one, no kid should have to go through that, but when you realize it, the entire family went through it.

SPEAKER_05 51:06

Right?

SPEAKER_01 51:07

So, like, so the family, it's something that the family goes through. So everyone kind of needs some type of support. Yeah, some type of support. The kid needs support, their parents need support, and people just need to know that there's people out there who support them, right? You know, so that one was important for me. I've had, I was supposed to have a partner here with me that we don't work together anymore, but it was very important for him as well. But he couldn't, he couldn't make it because he has cancer. So he was um, he reached out to me, he really wanted to be here tonight. We planned it since we found out that we were gonna do this. I called him um Tuesday. I called him Tuesday, hey, are we still on for Thursday? And he's like, dude, I got some bad news. I'm back in the hospital.

SPEAKER_05 51:49

Oh, yeah. And they're gonna omit me.

SPEAKER_01 51:52

And then he's like, I really wanted to be here because this is like a very important cause. But even with him, I'm like, dude, I you know, I hope you hope you get better.

SPEAKER_05 51:59

And oh yeah, yeah, yeah. So it's it's definitely tough.

SPEAKER_01 52:01

So I know people who who've been through it or who are currently going through it.

SPEAKER_04 52:05

Yeah, wow. I know. And it also just like just speaking on on on my end, it's it also shows like very real impact and how important it is to show up for one another. Exactly. Right, yeah. So because it these things that we can promote and talk about and you know, try and connect people to, they're not these very distant ideas, they are very close realities. And that is that's what's been really beautiful about this evening and speaking to everyone, because it's like, you know, we're stronger together, but also realizing that we always have to continue to show up for one another as well.

SPEAKER_01 52:54

Absolutely. True, true. That's a good message, too.

SPEAKER_04 52:57

Yeah, so thank you so very much. Thank you as well. And you know, feel free if you'd like, drop the tag. How will people, you know, find you on like the on the socials, you know.

SPEAKER_01 53:09

So we're on we're on Instagram as Luella Southern Kitchen. Me personally, I'm also on Instagram as Luella Chef. So at Luella Southern Kitchen, at LuellaChef. Um, Facebook is pretty much the same thing. Luella Southern Kitchen. I don't have a personal Facebook, but just Luella Southern Kitchen. As it should be. Yeah, I don't have time. That's real. Other than that, that's the way people really people really do reach me. So when people inbox the restaurant, I'm the person who replies, and obviously, if you if you wanted to get at me, you can get on me on there as well.

SPEAKER_04 53:40

Hell yeah. Perfect. Thank you so much. Thank you so much, my friend. Great to see you. Thank you.

SPEAKER_06 53:46

Sarah Stegner is gonna kick us off. That just feels right to me.

SPEAKER_02 53:50

Hi, I'm Chef Sarah Stegner, and I am so thrilled that we were able to make this happen for the charities, and that the chefs really came through as they always do in Chicago. And I it felt to me like community, it felt like family, and I had the best time. I really felt supported, but I also felt like I was a part of something. Yeah?

SPEAKER_05 54:20

Yes.

SPEAKER_13 54:21

Um, I'm Melissa Clark, and I just can say ditto. Um tonight to me represents what Chicago Chefs are all about. How they give back to our community and how our community comes together for the causes that are near, dear to their hearts. And it's just amazing to see the community support us and support them. Um, it's just one of those nights that is exhilarating. But I loved how everybody came together. We had people from all walks of life here just supporting not only the chefs, but our community and then the charities as well.

SPEAKER_06 55:02

Yeah, I mean, I'm there there's nothing more that I'm gonna add. Um but Darren guest. Uh what what I what I love about tonight is that um, you know, ever everyone knows, again, I I said it before Chicago is um, you know, we are we are known Is that is that for us? We we are known for great chefs. Um and I think uniquely Chicago, what a great chef, you know, also extends into is um a great civic leader as well. Um and that is not an easy or obvious leap. Um and the ones that do it do it at such a uh important and sincere and profound level, like Chef Sarah Steckner, like the 29 other chefs that were uh on the floor tonight. And what I what I really loved about tonight is um the chefs sort of leaning into that civic leadership. You know, on on every table, you saw the ingredients of the food, and you saw the cause uh for which that chef or restaurant was was cooking. Um and you could see the chefs leaning into it, and you could also witness the um the audience learning about what's important to those chefs and identifying you know with their food, with their ingredients, um, and with their sort of perspectives and stories. I think that's what makes tonight so special, is that you know, everyone in the room, you know, mo for the most part had a recognition of the depth and the layers of every chef that was participating. Um and that's a really you know you spend three hours getting to know individuals through those layers, um, and it creates, like Chef Sarah said, it creates uh a tremendous amount of connection and community, and that's really the whole purpose of why we're here and why we uh why we do what we do.

SPEAKER_02 57:38

And can I just say the food was amazing? Yes. Like people really, the chefs were they really threw down. They did. I was very happy.

SPEAKER_06 57:47

Yeah, I mean they they brought their pay game. Yeah, I mean I I said Chicago has the best chefs. Yes. I mean, that's that part of the equation. Yeah, um, and it it they shine tonight. They really did. The other really cool thing, I think, is you know, we're at the Four Seasons Hotel. Um, and you know, it's beyond being a beautiful backdrop, um, it's a historic backdrop. And it's a backdrop with connective tissue.

SPEAKER_02 58:18

Um starting with they had their own charity that they wanted to bring into the mix. Yes.

SPEAKER_06 58:24

Totally, yeah. Um and I and you know, and let's and let's talk about the charities in a second. But I I want to recognize the connective tissue here. Because Sarah, I think you can probably share the generations upon generations of folks who have been in that kitchen and why tonight is like beyond the purpose of the night, why it's special to be in this place at this time.

SPEAKER_02 58:51

Yeah, you know, it was interesting because um I didn't actually work at this Four Seasons, I worked at the Ritz Carlton, which was at that time owned by the Four Seasons Company. And George was the executive chef and I was the restaurant chef. And we were there almost 20 years. And then Kevin Hickey took over when we left, and then he moved over here. And like this whole chain of how many chefs have worked here and come out of these kitchens, this is part of our of our history. Yeah. It is a lot of connections.

SPEAKER_06 59:26

Yeah, I mean, when people were greeting each other when they arrived, I heard a lot of welcome back, welcome home, I know where the fryer is. You don't have to show me, right? You don't have to show me around.

SPEAKER_02 59:40

Like I asked to use the kitchen, and uh, you know, I kept getting it, well, you can use the eight eighth floor banquet kitchen. And I was like, okay. And and then when I got here, I I when it's chef, I tapped him on the shoulder, I'm like, I'm I want to go in the kitchen. He's like, okay. And he took me back there, and then it was easy. But it was just like that, yeah. I know this place.

SPEAKER_06 1:00:03

Yeah. No, it it's it's uh it's a gat it's a gathering place and it has history, and you can sort of feel that. Um, but you you were saying, you know, there's there's relevance to the charities, and there's a a reason why we selected each of the charities. And I I I really love the the idea of um the charity that the four seasons selected.

SPEAKER_13 1:00:28

Yeah, which is kids living with cancer. You know, that is, you know, when we think about food and then we think about kids that are living with cancer, what better way for us to support them, to provide them, you know, with what they need. Um and so that's that's definitely one of the charities that we did. Um the other charities are amazing as well. Um, you know, we're talking about immigration, you know, raising money for that. Uh, also, you know, raising money for women's leaders, the culinary, for women's leaders and culinary. Um, then we also talk about the unhoused in food insecurities. You know, that's another one near dear to our heart. And then to top it all off, regenerative agriculture. And I love how everything is connected. Um, you know, I always tell people when we have healthy foods and good food, it feeds our soul, feeds our bodies, and heals us.

SPEAKER_02 1:01:30

And so so many of the chefs, no matter what genre of cooking they have, are connected to the local agriculture. And on Monday, Green City Market's gonna do a chef and farmer breakfast. Yes. And it was actually something that we did every year, and Jason Hammill was like, Why aren't we doing it this year? And I was like, Jason, head it up, let's go, let's do this. We have 150 people coming. Yes, like we have an army of chefs that are gonna show up, and all of it is connected. So we raised money tonight. I think it was for uh the Bayless Foundation, right? So Frontier Farmer Foundation, yeah. Correct. And um it's like he's been in this field and making an impact for years, and for us to have an opportunity to support that, it supports all of us. Like it is that charity is for all of us.

SPEAKER_06 1:02:30

Yeah, the um, yeah, and that you know, I mentioned it earlier, chef civic leadership is on full display. Um, but I think what's really interesting about this year is that we had cause captains. Yes, and so you know, we had 30 plus chefs show up for five causes. Um, and we had several chefs um raise their hand to be cause captains this year, um, and really sort of rally their followership, their community around the causes that are important to them. Um I thought it was just an interesting, you know, concept and sort of a recognition of their leadership. The leadership, right? Yeah, exactly.

SPEAKER_02 1:03:17

And they all contributed in slightly different ways. You know, some of them were really uh active in pushing the event and selling tickets, and other people did uh press and media for the for the but everybody everybody contributed. It wasn't um just a few chefs, it was it felt like a collective.

SPEAKER_06 1:03:36

Yeah. Yeah, we we kind of created this this concept of uh uh cause captains, and we had 30 chefs, and like 75% of them raise their hand to be cause captains. And so at that point, you're all just participants.

SPEAKER_02 1:03:54

Um It's like as you know, I know that you said that it it isn't always evident that chefs um are also civic leaders, but the thing is like chefs are natural leaders like in our kitchen. We have people asking us all the time, how do you want this? And they're not gonna do it sometimes unless you tell them. So it's like you you you end up being in a situation where you are used to and comfortable making decisions because if you don't, it doesn't function. You have to. And I think that that just extends out to everything in our lives that we can make a difference, and we can through our cooking, through food, through our beliefs in what should happen, we can we can make a difference in the world.

unknown 1:04:39

Yes. What is the what is it called?

SPEAKER_04 1:04:50

So if you're scoping out all the things that I thought, what a interesting, what would you like to take or the causes of chefs?

SPEAKER_02 1:05:04

Just even Kip, before we answer that, can I ask you a question? So what what was the common th themes that you heard from chefs?

SPEAKER_04 1:05:14

Because you've you've interviewed Yeah, so I would say I was like the most natural thing is just community and showing off for one another. You know, because there is that natural commodity amongst one another, but then also it's great to actually be in community with community on behalf of community. So that's been that's good.

SPEAKER_02 1:05:41

That's good, that's what we want to hear.

SPEAKER_13 1:05:48

Um I think I say this a lot to people, and the thing that I want people to take away from when you go to a restaurant and you eat in that Restaurant. Your money is going right back to the community because the chefs in Chicago support our community. And so this is a way of not only having excellent food and your belly is full, but when you support the restaurant, you're supporting our community. Period. And you know, evident tonight, community is everything. And you know, the the warmth and the camaraderie that we all felt tonight, I I can't, you know, I it just makes my heart feel warm, especially in this day and age that we're all living in right now, that we're all still coming together, supporting one another. And this just makes me just say, hey, Chicago is the best city in this world.

SPEAKER_06 1:06:52

So yeah, I and you know, I I totally agree with Melissa, and I think I think the call to action is um to use your voice and use it loudly, um, to show up when it matters and for who it matters most, and if you're in a position of privilege, um, and even if you're not, frankly, um, to show up and uh uh speak on behalf of those who are most vulnerable. Um because that is truly the the greatest good, right? That is um that is why we do what we what we do. We're in a position where um we're fortunate enough to be able to um you know be on your podcast and be in the four seasons and help rally rally the community. It's it's the it's the universal your. Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 1:08:01

It's a communal.

SPEAKER_06 1:08:02

It's a communal your. If that wasn't clear, I thought that was.

SPEAKER_04 1:08:06

Can I just say I I just wanted to make sure that's it? I thought that was clear. Okay.

SPEAKER_06 1:08:14

I'm not a singular your person. I'm a universal your guy. I thought we knew each other better than this.

SPEAKER_05 1:08:22

Um, thank you.

SPEAKER_06 1:08:26

Um but there there's it's a it's I think it's a healthy reminder that you know speaking up and showing up and uh speaking up for those who are vulnerable. Um is it's not just it's not a privilege, it's a um it's paramount. And it's it's a and it's a purpose. Um and so you know, I feel very grateful to be able to do it with three amazing partners. Um Ida Davidman is uh with her children on spring break at the moment, but I think she would agree that um, you know, showing up together and uh putting a stake in the ground and you know giving folks a platform. It's exactly what can I say you in the universal way? I'm afraid I'm afraid to talk now. I can't I can't be like my I want to be my authentic self, but I feel like I'm gonna be attacked here.

SPEAKER_13 1:09:42

No!

SPEAKER_06 1:09:45

The uh you know, but and I I say that all in jest. Uh I feel very comfortable around you, you specifically. That's you. I feel comfortable around you, Justin. Um showing up together and giving giving folks a platform to share what they believe is right and for what they think is important. Um it's a powerful feeling because it's it's vulnerable, right? We when we when we step on that stage and step on that platform and show what we think is important, there may be crickets or there may be an audience, and you never really know. Um, but we believe in the collective power of chefs and the collective power of culinary civic leaders, and more often than not, we think that they're gonna be right. That's just sort of like that's where we stacked our chips. Um, and providing that platform um and seeing it get responded to in the way that it did tonight. Uh it just meant the world. I thought you were coming to give me a hug.

SPEAKER_04 1:11:07

Oh, I am I thought that was so meaningful.

SPEAKER_06 1:11:15

You were so tough.

SPEAKER_04 1:11:22

This is the collected guy.

SPEAKER_06 1:11:24

Yeah, yeah. It was.

SPEAKER_05 1:11:33

Definitely.

SPEAKER_02 1:11:35

Okay, so I would say that this has been um kind of a a journey where learning that relationships are at the center of change. And if you want things to happen in the world, you need to connect with people. And you have you know, you can you can't get up and preach that you want the world to change in a certain way or cross boundaries and include everybody. You have to do it. You have and the way is through relationships and and knowing people and meeting them where they're at. And I feel like we as an organization and the chefs in Chicago have done this without even like identifying as to why. If you walked through that kitchen, everybody was thrilled to talk to the person next to them and to get to know a new chef. And the meeting like that we're doing on Monday at Green City, it's new chefs that have been invited. That the core group reached out, and this is like all connected and layered together, and we've tried to support that. We've tried that that belief that we can make a difference, but it's gonna be through us.

SPEAKER_04 1:13:02

Fantastic. Hello. Um, so one thing that I just want to say on behalf of terms of service is thank you first and foremost, but also most importantly, just being the example that we so desperately have been craving for so long without being able to identify it in real time through the lifestyle of the industry. So yeah, of course, and this is a statement to all of you, exactly. Yeah, so sorry, the yeah. Okay, yeah, that was just making making sure that but yes, um, it has been an honor and a privilege to work with you all and you know really really make sure that we show up in a way to where the community and the culture needs the support, not the way that they think it should be directed towards them. It's like let's bring them in and build them up from there as authentically as we can. So thank you.

SPEAKER_02 1:14:16

Thank you for telling the story and capturing those moments that the chefs were able to share with you.

SPEAKER_04 1:14:21

Of course, I was like, I can't wait for you to hear it back. I was just like, because I'm just thinking of shout out to my boy Rishi, okay? Because it was just like it was incredible. It's incredible. It was just it's yeah. And and and everyone, I'm just thinking about something very specific. Whether it makes it into the main thing or not, you will hear it because it's it's good. Okay, good, it's very good. But yes, so as we wrap up, is there anything else that you would like to mention, my friends?

SPEAKER_02 1:14:54

And it's a level of gratitude that that the whole experience that we were able to do this and that um we have such a good community.

SPEAKER_04 1:15:04

Yeah. Great, amazing. Well, and on that note, this was Terms of Service at the iCook for Benefit at the four seasons with Chicago Chefs Cook. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I can go on and on about like our partnerships and our relationships, but what is most important, what is most important is how we show up for one another. And so that is with Acapana and San Pellegrino, Square, like all of it is so important because all of that, all of that awareness truly matters. So thank you.

SPEAKER_09 1:15:44

Thank you, thank you.

SPEAKER_04 1:15:45

Of course, thank you. Also, just shout out to our partners at San Pellegrino, Acropana, and Square. Quick thing in regards to Square. Square is here for the magic that's not on the menu, which actually really fits this conversation. And then also go to square.com slash goodstuff to find out more. Thank you so very much.