From the inbox: Rural Society to open in March

Among the press releases in my inbox this week was one announcing the opening of Rural Society at the new Loews Chicago Hotel coming in March! Sounds like a fantastic place to enjoy a meal this spring or summer. I love Argentine steakhouses. Such a fun experience.

GARCES GROUP AND LOEWS HOTELS & RESORTS

PARTNER IN SECOND RESTAURANT

Rural Society Chicago to Open at the Loews Chicago Hotel

CHICAGO -- This spring, Garces Group and award-winning chef Jose Garces will debut their second Rural Society in collaboration with Loews Hotels & Resorts.  Following the success of Rural Society DC, which opened at the Loews Madison Hotel in July of 2014, Garces and Loews will launch the popular Argentine steakhouse in the Loews Chicago this March.

“I’m thrilled to bring Rural Society to my hometown,” shared Chef Jose Garces.  “I began cooking Argentine cuisine early in my career and was inspired to explore it more deeply, particularly the parrilla or grilling element. The fire to open Rural Society was lit after my trip to Argentina in 2013; cooking by flame was everywhere and bringing back a piece of that skill and passion is at the heart of the restaurant.”

The restaurant’s name draws inspiration from La Sociedad Rural Argentina, the Argentine Rural Society, which for over a century has hosted an annual agricultural and livestock show: La Exposición Rural.  Held in Buenos Aires, the renowned social event celebrates the country’s rural heritage and traditions in heart of the urban city.

At the core of the Rural Society menu are wood-fired meats and fish prepared Desde la Parrilla, on a grill in the center of the restaurant using charcoal and quebracho, an Argentine hardwood.  The bar will feature a predominantly South American wine list, with most selections hailing from Argentina as well as a robust collection of whiskey and Italian Aperitifs.  The cocktail program will offer riffs on traditional Argentine and South American drinks.

An American born to Ecuadorian parents and raised in Chicago, Garces’ culinary training started early in life, in the kitchen of his paternal grandmother, Mamita Amada, where he learned to prepare family recipes and came to love food and cooking.  In 2005, Garces introduced his first restaurant named in her honor, Amada in Philadelphia.  Today, he is one of the nation’s leading chefs and restaurateurs, with a diverse collection of leading restaurants ranging from authentic tapas to modern Mexican.  He is the 2009 winner of the James Beard Foundation’s “Best Chef Mid-Atlantic” award, one of only a few chefs in the country to hold the coveted title of Iron Chef, and author of two cookbooks, Latin Evolution and The Latin Road Home.

The Loews Chicago Hotel will open in March 2015.  The hotel is located in the heart of Streeterville, just one block north of the Chicago River and two blocks east of North Michigan Avenue.

About Garces Group

Founded by James Beard Award-winning, Iron Chef Jose Garces, the eponymous group operates more than a dozen restaurants across the country. Garces Group’s award-winning concepts range from authentic Andalusian tapas and modern Mexican street food to European bistro fare and artisanal American food and drink, including Amada, Distrito, El Jefe, Garces Trading Company, JG Domestic, Rosa Blanca, Rural Society, Tinto, Village Whiskey, Volvér, The Olde Bar, and Mercat a la Planxa in partnership with Sage Hospitality, as well as a full service event planning division, Garces Events.  For more information about Chef Jose Garces or his restaurants, please visit www.garcesgroup.com and follow them on Twitter: @garcesgroup and @chefjosegarces.

About Loews Chicago Hotel

Slated to open in March 2015, Loews Chicago Hotel is located in the heart of Streeterville, just one block north of the Chicago River and two blocks east of North Michigan Avenue. The property features 400 guestrooms, including 25 suites, a signature celebrity chef-driven restaurant, more than 29,000 square feet of innovative meeting space, a luxury spa and fitness center and the largest outdoor rooftop terrace in the city.  Loews Chicago Hotel is in a stunning new-build 52-story tower that comprises the hotel and 309 rental residences. For reservations or more information about Loews Chicago Hotel, call 1-800-23-LOEWS or visit:www.loewshotels.com/chicago-downtown/.   

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About Loews Hotels & Resorts

Headquartered in New York City, Loews Hotels & Resorts owns and/or operates 23 hotels and resorts across the U.S. and Canada, including two newly acquired Midwest locations – the Loews Minneapolis Hotel, situated in the heart of Minneapolis’ entertainment district, and the Loews Chicago O’Hare Hotel, less than two miles from O’Hare Airport in the emerging city of Rosemont, Ill. The new-build, 400-room Loews Chicago Hotel will debut downtown in February 2015. Located in major city centers and resort destinations from coast to coast, the Loews portfolio features one-of-a-kind properties that go beyond Four Diamond standards to delight guests with exciting, approachable and local travel experiences. For reservations or more information about Loews Hotels & Resorts, call 1-800-23-LOEWS or visit: www.loewshotels.com.

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