From the inbox: 2016 Baconfest restaurant roster

Here's a share from the inbox this week. Baconfest is one Chicago foodie event that I have not yet attended, but hope to get to this year. I love me some BACON! Who doesn't? Take a peek at who will be participating this year!

Baconfest Chicago Releases 2016 Roster 
150+ Restaurants Headlining
Tickets On Sale Monday, Feb 22, 2016 @Noon -- Expected to Sellout
 
January 26, 2016 (Chicago, IL) - Baconfest Chicago (the first, the original, the nationally renowned festival dedicated to bacon) announces ticket on sale date, their restaurant roster featuring over 150 restaurants as well as additional schedule details for the eighth annual edition of the fest.  This year the roster includes nearly 40 first-time participants, from Food Network stars to veteran Chicago chefs. 

Baconfest is a cut above, highlighting award-winning restaurants Slurping Turtle, Table Donkey Stick, Spaccanapoli, Untitled, nana, Duck Inn, and The Dawson from the 2016 Bib Gourmand List, along with Michelin-Star recipients Carlos Gaytan and Takashi Hagihashi, James Beard nominee Paul Virant, and Sandra Holl from Floriole, winner of the Banchet Award Pastry Chef of the Year.


BACONFEST CHICAGO TICKET INFORMATION

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General Admission Tickets will go on sale at Noon on Monday, February 22, 2016 and are expected to sell out quickly.  Bacon-lovers can choose from three exhibition sessions: Lunch and Dinner on Saturday April 30 as well as Sunday Brunch on May 1.  General Admission tickets cost $100; VIP tickets are $200 allowing ticketholders access to the Cooking Channel VIP Hour and general admission period for the session selected.  

All tickets will be available online at www.BaconfestChicago.com/ticket. Ticket-holders receive unlimited dishes from the chefs,  seven drink tickets (redeemable for beer, wine and cocktails from Baconfest's beverage partners), a Baconfest tote bag and a souvenir program guide. 


BACONFEST CHICAGO RESTAURANT ROSTER 

2016 Baconfest Chicago Restaurant Roster featuring Baconfest vets, Golden Rasher Award Winners (the Oscars of the bacon world), and new restaurants. 17178735166_55f7ffa0c0_m.jpg

"I think we get just as excited as our fans do to see which restaurants sign up every year.  As foodies, we love the diversity. As bacon geeks we love the creativity.  As the founders of Baconfest, we're so humbled that so many great chefs and restaurants want to celebrate the undying virtues of America's most delicious food," said Baconfest co-founder Seth Zurer.

312 CHICAGO -  Luca Corazzina
 
676 RESTAURANT AND BAR  - Anthony Herve    (2012 Golden Rasher Award Winner)
694 WINE & SPIRITS  - Chris Dunstatter
AMAZING EDIBLES CATERING  - Alexi Mandolini
ARA-ON RESTAURANT  - Trevor Hoyte
ATWOOD  - Brian Millman ( 6th year participating in Baconfest)
BACARO  - Drew Starkey
BACON HILL KITCHEN + PUB  - Zachary Lucchese (1st year participating in Baconfest)
BAKIN' & EGGS  - Bob and Gina Hartwig
BALLARO  - Mark Newman (1st year participating in Baconfest)
BANG BANG PIE SHOP  - Patrick Cloud (2014 Golden Rasher Award Winner)
BANG CHOP  - Matt Riordan
BARN & COMPANY  - Gary Wiviott
BITE CAFE  - Todd Decker
BLACK DOG GELATO  - Jessica Oloroso
BourBonQue  - Kevin Whittier
BRIDGE HOUSE TAVERN  - Mark Hemmer
BURGER BAR CHICAGO  - John McLean
BUSY BURGER  - Joe Devito
CANTINA LAREDO  - Hector Rivera
CARNITAS URUAPAN  - Marcos Carbajal
CARNIVALE  - Rodolfo Cuadros
CEMITAS PUEBLA  - Antonio Anteliz (1st year participating in Baconfest)
CHICAGO q  - Ian Thompson
COMMUNITY TAVERN  - Joey Beato
Creative CONEcepts  - Turon Cummings (1st year participating in Baconfest)
DAVANTI ENOTECA  - Daniel Harris
DAVID BURKE'S PRIMEHOUSE  - Amanda Warren  (8th year participating in Baconfest)
E+O FOOD AND DRINK  - Rodelio Aglibot
EDZO'S BURGER SHOP  - Eddie Lakin
EL MARIACHI TEQUILA BAR & GRILL  - Eduardo Hermenegildo
FARMHOUSE -  Eric Mansavage ( 2014 Golden Rasher Award Winner)
FIRECAKES  - Jonathan Fox
FIREFLY GRILL  - Niall D. Campbell II
FLO AND SANTOS  - Mark Rimkus
FLO CAFE & BAR  - Leonard Sanchez
FLORIOLE  - Sandra Holl and Emily Spurlin  (1st year participating in Baconfest)
FORK  - Timothy Cottini
FREESTYLE FOOD + DRINK  - Javier Mora and Geordan Stenson
FRONTIER   - Brian Jupiter
GINGERSNAP SWEETS & SUCH  - Jen Templeton
GLAZED AND INFUSED  - Chris White
GUILDHALL RESTAURANT  - Marcos Ascencio
HEARTH RESTAURANT  - John "Woody" Linton
HOMESTEAD  - Rob Shaner
HONEY BUTTER FRIED CHICKEN  - Joshua Kulp & Christine Cikowski
HOWELLS & HOOD  - Brett Neubauer
HUBBARD INN  - Matt Wilde
IMPERIAL LA MIAN  - Christianna Klangides (1st year participating in Baconfest)
JAKE MELNICK'S CORNER TAP  - Nick Santangelo
JELLYFISH  - Hector Marcial
KAISER TIGER  - Pat Berger
KITTY O'SHEA'S  - Mario Garcia
KNIFE  - Tim Cottini
KNIFE & TINE  - Paul Caravelli
KUMA'S CORNER  - Dan Grynevich
LE BOUCHON & LA SARDINE  - Oliver Poilevey & Scott Jambrosek
LINKS TAPROOM  - Grover Betts
LOCKWOOD RESTAURANT at the Palmer House  - Mathew Wiltzius (*2013 Golden Rasher Award Winner)
LOKaL  - Artur Wnorowski
MARION STREET MARKET  - Bret Bohning
MASTRO'S STEAKHOUSE  - Anthony Bernal
MAY ST. CAFE  - Mario Santiago
MERCAT A LA PLANXA  - Evan Behmer
MEXIQUE  - Carlos Gaytan
MISS RICKY'S  - Rick Gresh (1st year participating in Baconfest)
MITY NICE BAR & GRILL  - John Chiakulas (2014 Golden Rasher Award Winner)
MONTI'S  - James Gottwald
MORE  - Patty Rothman
MOXEE RESTAURANT  - Rob Stromm
NaanSense  - Hiran Patel & Sahil Singh
NANA  - Jeremy Kiens
NONNA SANTI'S BISCOTTI  - Jo-Marie Frigo
OLD TOWN SOCIAL  - Blake Saavedra
OSTERIA LA MADIA  - Jonathan Fox
OSTERIA LANGHE  - Cameron Grant
PADDY LONG'S  - Patrick Berger & Chris Latchford (7th year participating in BaconFest)
PARAMOUNT ROOM  - Stephen Dunne
PECKISH PIG  - Debbie Evans
PERENNIAL VIRANT  - Paul Virant & Ed Sura
PI GALLERY BAR  - Alyssa Torres
PIECE  - Bill Jacobs & Charlie Springer
PINSTRIPES  - Cesar Gutierrez
PIZZA BARRA  - Chris Macchia
PLEASANT HOUSE BAKERY  - Art and Chelsea Jackson
PORK & MINDY'S  - Jeff Mauro (1st year participating in Baconfest)
PORKCHOP  - Kenneth Robinson
PROSECCO  - Mark Sparacino
PUBLIC HOUSE  - Jeremy Tannehill
RED BUTTER  - Monica Sehgal Sharma ( 2012 Golden Rasher Award Winner)
RED DOOR  - Troy Graves ( 2009 Golden Rasher Award Winner and 8th year participating in Baconfest)
REVOLUCION STEAKHOUSE  - Alberto Mendez
REVOLUTION BREWING  - Charlie Eure
RURAL SOCIETY at Lowes Chicago Hotel  - Cory Morris (1st year participating in Baconfest)
SALERO  - Ashlee Aubin (1st year participating in Baconfest)
SEEDLING FRUIT  - Peter Klein
SHEEKAR DELIGHTS  - Diane Khouri Joseph
SIGNATURE ROOM  - Cardel Reid ( 2010 Golden Rasher Award Winner and 8th year participating in Baconfest)
SLURPING TURTLE  - Takashi Yagihashi (2015 Award for Most Creative Use of Bacon)
SPACCA NAPOLI  - Jonathan Goldsmith
SPARROW COFFEE  - Chris Chacko
STAN'S DONUTS  - Rich Labriola
STOUT BARREL HOUSE & GALLEY  - Michael Matthews
SUNDA  - Jess De Guzman
TABLE, DONKEY & STICK  - Scott Manley
TACO IN A BAG  - Alice Chiu (1st year participating in Baconfest)
TACO JOINT  - Edgar Torres
TÊTE CHARCUTERIE  - Thomas Rice & Kurt Guzowski
THE BAD APPLE  - Craig Fass
THE BRIXTON  - Alex (Jethro) Gialanella
THE CHOP SHOP  - Nick Moretti
THE COTTON DUCK  - Dominic Zumpano
THE DAWSON  - Shaun King
THE DEARBORN  - Aaron Cuschieri (1st year participating in Baconfest)
THE DUCK INN  - Kevin Hickey
THE MONKEY'S PAW  - Rahjan Shabazz
THE RADLER  - Nathan Sears (2011 Golden Rasher Award Winner and 8th year participating in Baconfest)
THREE ACES - Matt Troost  (2012 & 2013 Golden Rasher Award Winner)
 
TRAVELLE  - Tim Graham
TROQUET RIVER NORTH  - Tim Davidson
UNCLE BUB'S BBQ  - Kyle VerVynck
UNITE URBAN GRILL  - Rob Schlitt
UNTITLED SUPPER CLUB  - Bryan Collante
VANILLE PATISSERIE  - Stacy Waldrop
VIE  - Brian Motyka (2015 Golden Rasher Award Winner and 8th year participating in Baconfest)
VINCENT  - Adam Grandt
WEST TOWN BAKERY & DINER  - Chris Teixeira
WHISK  - Ricardo Rodriguez
WOLLENSKY'S GRILL  - Victor Newgren
WYLER ROAD  - Forster Sorensen (1st year participating in Baconfest)
ZED451  - Andrea Williams  (2012 Golden Rasher Award Winner)
ZOOM PIZZA FACTORY  - Paul Guerrero

BACONFEST CHICAGO EVENTS

This year's event will take place during three sessions including a new Sunday Brunch Session.  "This is when America fell in love with bacon after all, so it's going to be pretty special -- we're not saying more than that just yet," said Zurer.  Additionally each session will have a distinct theme as a way to continue to engage the creativity of the 170+ chefs in-attendance.

Saturday Lunch - April 30
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM Cooking Channel VIP hour
12:00 PM - 3:00 PM General Admission Period
Theme: Sweet / Featured Cocktail: Tiki

Saturday Dinner - April 30
6:00 PM - 7:00 PM Cooking Channel VIP Hour
7:00 PM -10:00 PM General Admission Period
Theme: Smoke / Featured Cocktail: Old Fashioned

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Sunday Brunch - May 1
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM Cooking Channel VIP hour
12:00 PM - 3:00 PM General Admission Period
Theme: Heat / Featured Cocktail: Bloody Mary

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