As unpredictable as weather can be in Chicago, some of the Tyson Fresh Meats Foodservice Team members found ourselves in the Windy City…in the midst of a downpour. It was the last Friday in September and time to kick off Chicago Gourmet: the annual, prestigious culinary event hosted in partnership with Bon Appetit. Chicagoans don’t let a little rain hold them back; the best part of the weekend? The impressive turnout despite the weekend’s sub-par weather.

Influencers, culinary experts and restaurateurs were just some of the foodies making up the crowd at Chicago’s Millennium Park on Saturday, September 28 and Sunday, September 29. Who else could you find in that crowd? The Beef & Pork Experts™, of course! You might be asking yourself, “the beef and pork who?” – well let me tell you. Our Foodservice team at Tyson Fresh Meats – the beef and pork fresh meats division of Tyson Foods – know restaurants like the backs of their hands. With a wide portfolio of beef and pork offerings, the Foodservice team are experts in the topic.

Now, on to the good stuff.

Not a fabulous foodservice event goes by without the Tyson Fresh Meats team knowing about it! The team sponsored the event on behalf of Chairman’s Reserve® Meats, a brand of Tyson Fresh Meats, with all five tasting booths within the Beer & BBQ Pavilion featuring beef and pork dishes using Chairman’s Reserve Beef and Pork. The Chairman’s Reserve brand boasts a dual-tier (prime and premium), dual-protein (beef and pork) selection of only the best quality meats around – and guests at Chicago Gourmet were lucky enough to try dishes with both.

While outside our tent you’d find mud and mist (and a bunch of guests rocking their rain boots), all worries were washed away the second you stepped into the confines of our cozy pavilion. With rock bands playing some classic covers, numerous drink sponsors repping well-known brands, and of course, all-you-can-eat drool-worthy dishes!

We partnered with local Chicago chefs — nearly 20 over the course of the weekend! — and were blown away by their culinary creations using Chairman’s Reserve Beef and Pork.

Some of the mouth-watering dishes included:

• Braised beef short rib meatballs from Bar Roma
• Crispy pork belly with habanero maple syrup from Barton G.
• Skirt steak with grits and tomatillo salsa from Bobby’s Lincoln Park
• Grilled pork loin with cauliflower puree from The Kennison
• Roasted prime rib sandwich from Lawry’s The Prime Rib

And what would a BBQ pavilion be without a few rib options? We had:

• St. Louis-style spareribs from Famous Dave’s
• Baby back ribs from Big Ed’s BBQ
• Pork ribs with corn coriander and yuzu kosho emulsion from Monnie Burke’s
• Hoisin glazed pork sparerib with soba noodles and pho from Upstairs at the Gwen

We were thrilled at the wonderful opportunity to increase brand awareness with chefs and consumers alike of the high-quality Chairman’s Reserve Meats, with examples of how you can have your meat and eat it too, no matter how you slice it!

There was no shortage of food or fun at this event. Don’t believe us? Take a look at the “Food Shows” highlight on the Tyson Fresh Meats Foodservice Instagram and see for yourself!