SAVORY news and events (the week of April 28, 2024)
The passing of a popular chef, an omakase spot opens—and, of course, the Dom's/Foxtrot fiasco
—And I quote: "You can't just eat good food. You've got to talk about it too. And you've got to talk about it to somebody who understands that kind of food."—Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
—Pop life: Don’t forget my other Substack: “Pop-Eds: My takes on pop culture.” Thank you so much to the people who’ve already subscribed. Among other things and people, my latest entry discusses musical icons, airline refunds and my connection to the show Cheaters (and it’s not what you might think), among other things. Subscribe to andrew449.Substack.com to get all my thoughts.
And now on to culinary items (and there are a lot)…
—“Top”-notch: Last week, I was fortunate enough to be invited to an event at the tony Italian restaurant Adalina, 912 N. State St., that featured Executive Chef Soo Ahn’s debut on the show Top Chef.
After beating five other chef contestants in the digital series Top Chef: Last Chance Kitchen, Ahn—who was a professional golfer before becoming involved in the culinary arts—earned a spot on the show, where he will be representing Chicago’s food scene and showing his own unique approach to cooking. He started things with a bang, being selected as one of the “top chefs” in that episode, although someone else won for having the best dish. Ahn definitely looks formidable.
At the actual event, attendees applauded whenever Ahn was on screen, and he was kind enough to let the small group of media figures/influencers there to select from the menu while serving other items —like the truffled Caesar bites that won him the role on the show. Everything—from the addictive ranch-flavored popcorn to the gnocchi della gonna—was wonderful.
Adalina’s website is https://www.adalinachicago.com/.
—Sudden departure: Dom's Kitchen and Foxtrot, we hardly knew ye.
Signs were posted to numerous stores as the chains announced the abrupt closures of two Dom's stores and 33 Foxtrots across the Chicago, Dallas and D.C. areas, NBC Chicago noted. "We explored many avenues to continue the business but found no viable option despite good faith and exhaustive efforts," a notice from the companies read.
The signs posted to doorways at multiple locations ranged in messages from "Foxtrot closed forever (not a joke)" and "$180,000,000 in the hole" to "Closed. It was nice serving you.”
Initially, this was especially baffling because, especially in Chicago’s River North and Gold Coast areas, these chains were blossoming. It’s just another reminder that you never know what’s really going on somewhere.
However, the two had merged several months ago, per Eater Chicago. Outfox Hospitality—the combined venture of the two Chicago-based entities—is filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, according to Substack newsletter Snaxshot. And the Lincoln Park location was allegedly making a profit while the Old Town site struggled. (The latter pushed out Plum Market in a controversial move.)
And a former employee at the Foxtrot store in Old Town has filed a proposed class-action lawsuit, per Axios.
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