Mexican Chef Series at Kendall College

Mexican Chef Series at Kendall College

Kendall College is pleased to celebrate the diversity and gastronomy of Mexico’s great chefs and cuisines by participating with the Mexican consulate’s Chicago Celebration of the Mexican Bicentennial. In partnership with the Mexican Consulate and ProMéxico, Kendall is launching a program called “Ciclo de Cocina Mexicana en Chicago 2010,” where guests will experience extraordinary dinners prepared by prominent Mexican chefs monthly from May through November.

Thursday, May 27
Chef Guillermo González Berist áin from Monterrey (from restaurants Pangea,
El Tio, Chino Latino, Bistro Bardot and La Felix) and Chef Federico Lopez from Cancun
(owner of Gourmand & Gourmets and Taller Gourmet) prepare a six-course menu with
wine pairings.

About the chefs:
Chef Guillermo González Beristáin began cooking as a teenager in a restaurant in Baja
California and has worked at award-winning restaurants in Europe, the United States and
Mexico. He has been published in numerous food and wine publications and was ranked one
of the Top 10 Chefs in Mexico by El Universal Newspaper. Chef Federico Lopez has more than
25 years experience in the kitchen. A participant and competitor in numerous culinary events
around the world, he was also nominated for the fifth consecutive year as one of the best 12
Mexican chefs, and selected as one of the top 20 best chefs by the publisher Larousse.
$75 per person (tax and tip included)

Monday, June 14
Enjoy a five-course banquet dinner featuring the cuisine of Chef Arma ndo Monta ño,
Chef Owner of El Chilar located in San Jose del Cabo.

About the chef :
Chef Montaño worked in both his mother’s bakery and father’s restaurant growing
up, where he learned to cook traditional Mexican cuisine. Today, he prides himself on
blending those “old” ingredients with new flavors, textures and chili peppers, which
are a basic ingredient in every dish he serves at El Chilar. Chef Montaño is a graduate
of Cooking Cordon D’Or, by the Universidad Anahuac del Sur, where he studied with
teachers such as Master Chef Phillippe Steinman and Master Chef Olivier Lombard, both
disciples of Chef Paul Bocuse.
$55 per person

(includes non-alcoholic beverages and sales tax, but does not include gratuity.)
BYOB – no corkage fee.
Both dinners start at 7:00 pm; seating begins at 6:30 pm.
To make reservations call 312-752-2328.

Kendall College
900 N. North Branch Street, Chicago
Complimentary Parking

Would anyone be interested in going as a group to the May 27th dinner?

I attended the kick-off dinner in the series. The crowd was a mix of just-barely-business casual (my table), government hoitys, the Mexican crowd that either had some models or close-enoughs, and a little star power (Chef Arun, for one). But what about the food? Delicious!

The menu was split between Chef Guillermo from Monterrey and Chef Federico from Cancun. Monterrey had the first course: fresh, bright crab wrapped in avocado lay on a fruity, slightly chewy gelatin rectangle.

The second course was a tiny tostada topped with finely minced meat and cartilage of earthy pigs feet.

And so on, for three delightful hours. It ended, as all good meals do, with multiple desserts. Frankly, this series is a steal - go if you can.

Menus are not yet available. Up to date information can be found here: http://culinary.kendall.edu/news-and-ev ... cago-2010/

Monday, July 26
Enjoy a delicious meal prepared by Executive Chef Alberto Pastrana and Chef Alejandrina Lopez, operations manager, of the Universidad del Valle de México (UVM)-Glion in Cuernavaca. Chef Pastrana has been nationally recognized for his contributions to Mexican gastronomy and has been a pastry instructor for the last 10 years, most recently at UVM. Chef Alejandrina Lopez’s impressive career includes positions as a personal chef, food and beverage manager, corporate chef and restaurateur.

Monday, August 9
Aquiles Chavez is considered one of the best chefs in Mexico, having won many awards and recognitions. He is chef/owner of Lo Cocina de Autor in Villahermosa, Tabasco, and hosts his own cooking show that is broadcast throughout Latin America.

Monday, August 30
Daniel Ovadia is chef/owner of Paxia San Angel and Paxia Santa Fe. Both restaurants are recognized in Mexico City for their contemporary Mexican cuisine and have received numerous awards, including being named two of the best restaurants in Mexico City by the International Restaurant & Hotel Awards in 2008.

Cost for each event is $38 per person (includes non-alcoholic beverages and sales tax, but does not include gratuity.) BYOB - no corkage fee.
Dinners start at 7:00 pm; seating begins at 6:30 pm.
To make reservations call 312-752-2328.

Kendall College
900 N. North Branch Street, Chicago
Complimentary Parking

Monday, August 9
Aquiles Chavez is considered one of the best chefs in Mexico, having won many awards and recognitions. He is chef/owner of Lo Cocina de Autor in Villahermosa, Tabasco, and hosts his own cooking show that is broadcast throughout Latin America.

Menu:

• Sea bass croquet with a chiote and habanero mayonnaise
• Scallop with citrus and mango pico de gallo
• The Other Tortilla soup (made with roasted duck bones, guacamole mousse, grilled roasted panela cheese, chile guajillo oil, acid crème foam, chicharron dust and finely chopped tortilla)
• Beef tongue in a tomato stew (with almonds, raisins, olives, cinnamon, prunes and peppers)
• Chocolate artisan fondant, Papantla vanilla ice foam and black berry raspadito OR chocolate and mole cake with coconut ice cream and xtanbentun