Chicago Skyline From Lincoln Park Zoo
One thing I love about living in Chicago is the amazing food and restaurant scene. I really believe it is one of the best in the nation (if not THE best), and being vegetarian in the Windy City is pretty easy. Most restaurants do a good job of having at least one menu item that is vegetarian or vegan. Thank you chefs!
But, when it comes to foodie events, that’s a whole different story. I’m pretty used to these events being a “meat and seafood show” so I leave hungry and disappointed. And in the off-chance there is even one vegetarian dish, I feel like that kid Charlie from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory as if I’ve won some kind of huge lottery. No really, it’s like hitting the jackpot when I can eat at an event! (Remember my story from the Top Chef Food Fight?)
You can imagine my excitement when I was invited to an all-vegetarian cooking demo and tasting by renowned Chef Bill Kim of Urbanbelly (Modern Korean), bellyQ (Asian BBQ) and Belly Shack (Korean and Puerto Rican Fusion) restaurants here in Chicago. “What? An event that I can actually have every single option and not have to ask if each dish is vegetarian? I’m SO in!”
All-Vegetarian Cooking Class At bellyQ
The cooking demo was supposed to be held outdoors at the quaint shared patio area of Urbanbelly and bellyQ in the West Loop (situated amongst “Restaurant Row”). But, when I woke up to see dark skies and a raging monsoon the morning of the event, I knew the class would be moved indoors. Not a problem though as Urbanbelly and bellyQ have an awesome atmosphere and beautiful interior….it all worked out.
The menu for the day included:
- Edammame yogurt hummus
- Tomato almond soup
- Roasted curried cauliflower with wheat berries
- Avocado-tomatillo salsa
Vegetarian Cooking Demo By Chef Bill Kim
Chef Bill taught us how to prepare each of the aforementioned dishes while giving us culinary tips and tricks alongside his personal stories and experiences as an executive chef. Throughout it all, we were the lucky recipients to taste all of the delicious creations while Chef Bill was hard at work.
It was a tough call to say which dish was my favorite, but I’m going with the tomato almond soup: a chilled, completely vegan soup (but tasted like it was made with cream) topped with fresh basil and crushed homemade tortilla chips. WOW! I think every person at the table was blown away by this dish and the burst of flavor from such few ingredients. Definitely a hit!
Vegan Tomato Almond Soup With Basil And Tortilla Chips
Aside from the awesome food and enjoying the company of new friends at the table, I was truly inspired by Chef Bill. Not only was he one of the most friendly and humble chefs I have ever met, he was engaging and just “kept it real”. I don’t mind saying that “I heart Chef Bill Kim”. I heart him so much that I will definitely be trying out all of his restaurants and can’t wait to tell you more about them! Stay tuned…
Please Note: I was provided a complimentary ticket to the cooking class; all opinions are my own.