Greater Chi. Food Depository "Bag Hunger" benefit

I thought a brief note was in order to memorialize the Food Depository's "Bag Hunger" benefit on Wednesday night at the Hyatt Regency on Wacker. The Lovely Dining Companion surprised me with two tickets to this most worthy cause. Gale Gand and Rick Tramonto co-chaired the event, featuring food from (I would guess, since I don't have any materials handy) about 40 restaurants about town. Tramonto couldn't make it at the last moment, but Gand was there, her usual bubbly self. Indeed, when she wasn't busy with her formal duties, she was on hand at her station, serving up dessert (a spoon of lemon ricotta cream and a small fritter whose origins I no longer recall--top-notch combo, though). There were some places I'd never heard of, some stars (Bayless and McClain), and many other worthy spots ranging from Jimmy Bannos to Geno Bahena. My two favorites, fwiw, a lobster potsticker (?) from Roy's that was nothing short of sublime and a marlin ceviche from Bahena's Mi Suena that was everything a ceviche should be and all too often isn't. And Ina served smoked brisket sandwiches...yum!

Sadly, the two titans couldn't coordinate and so the event was the same evening as the Food and Wine bash. I'm guessing that there were some 800 or so folks in the Hyatt's immense Grand Ballroom and it was crowded but not sardine-like crazy, the way the F&W bash has been before. Having gone to that a few years ago, I was glad we went where our dollars could do some real good. There was a silent auction for some remarkable things and a live auction for some extraordinary stuff. Ben Hollis was the MC and ran around the floor, his usual zany self.

For those so inclined next year, I'd highly recommend this event. It was extremely well-organized, very smoothly run, and a real pleasure to attend. Line at individual stations were almost never more than three or four people and everyone was in a good mood, happy, joking, and having a great time. All in all, a wonderful evening.