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You are here: Home / Blog / April 2017 – The Chopping Block – Spotlight Feature

April 2017 – The Chopping Block – Spotlight Feature

April 3, 2017 by Chi@glance

When I think back on fond memories and experiences I’ve had with my friends and family the one common denominator that always seems to be involved is FOOD. Food is like the magical element you need to keep the conversation going, to enjoy a celebration, to comfort you in times of happiness and sadness, and hey how about just to LIVE! 🙂

This month Chi@Glance visits the food industry again to celebrate a business that has been a part of the culinary fabric of Chicago for a milestone 20 years! Chi@Glance April Spotlight feature highlights The Chopping Block and Owner Chef Shelley Young.

The Chopping Block – Lincoln Square Location

Service/Description: The Chopping Block is a recreational Cooking School, Private Event Venue, and Gourmet retail store offering Fine wine and craft spirits. The Chopping Block is Chicago’s largest recreational cooking school and gourmet retail store, offers guests a large slate of demonstration and hands-on classes, as well as wine classes, private cooking parties and corporate team building events. Classes at our two locations (Merchandise Mart and Lincoln Square) cover cooking skills and techniques as well as seasonal, ethnic, healthy, vegetarian and weeknight cooking. Our Culinary Boot Camp allows students to take cooking to the next level with an intensive week-long taste of professional culinary school-style instruction. The Chopping Block’s retail stores feature professional-quality cookware and kitchen tools, plus an array of gourmet and ethnic ingredients and hand-selected food-friendly wines.

I have been to several events and classes at The Chopping Block and I love that I leave with a new technique I can use in my own home. It was great being able to chat with Chef Shelley Young about her passion for cooking and of course future plans for The Chopping Block. Before starting The Chopping Block in 1997 Chef Young was a private Chef and a head Chef at a French Mediterranean restaurant.

Chef Shelley Young – Owner of The Chopping Block

Chef Shelley Young always had a passion for anthropology. Food happens to be a great way to bring people together. So Chef Young took her passion for anthropology and love for food and combined them into The Chopping Block. Since the opening of The Chopping Block to now she’s learned how to adapt with the ever changing needs of the students. One of the biggest differences is how social food has become. Before it was thought only serious cooks take cooking classes, but a lot of people are taking cooking classes  as something to do that’s fun and entertaining. Lots of people are just looking to eat, drink, and learn something new.

As much as Chef Young loves the hands on classes she believes if you’re really serious about cooking you should lean more towards the demo classes. In the demo classes you really get to talk and engage with the chef. More of the classes on The Chopping Block calendar now are hands on, but she wants to do more hybrid classes in the future that would include a lecture, demonstration, and hands on.

The Chopping Block also plans to expand their professional classes. Currently they have a certification one week boot camp class and plan to create more. In the distant future they plan to delve into the online instruction arena, but that might be a little ways off.

Why is Chef Shelley Young of The Chopping Block a Chicagoan we should know?

“My mission in founding The Chopping Block is getting the country to cook. We’ve done that through our cooking classes, private events and retail store offerings for the past 20 years. I’ve had to adapt my business to meet the needs of our students over the years, so what we offer today is very different from what we offered 20 years ago. It’s very exciting to think about where we go from here.”

It was a pleasure interviewing Chef Young and the one thing I loved is her passion! The cooking doesn’t just stop at The Chopping Block. She loves to cook at home and if you know Chef Young when she entertains she never makes the same dish twice. Her favorite thing to do is to learn of people’s likes, dislikes, and dietary restrictions. She then takes that information to make a specific menu that ALL can enjoy. For example if someone needs gluten free and she makes a gluten free dish….no one can tell the difference.

I had a few specific questions I wanted to ask Shelley, but I hope this information helps you too.

Chi@Glance Interview with Chef Shelley Young of The Chopping Block

For those of us living in the city and trying to get back to the basics of cooking, what one appliance should we have in our homes?

Either a Vitamix or a Food Processor

What’s the easiest meal we can make for a party/entertaining in our home?

Beef Tenderloins- You just roast the whole thing. Don’t try to cook individual steaks. That can be very problematic.

Last Month we celebrated Woman’s History Month. What advice do you have for aspiring female Chef’s?

I suppose I would say “Do ALL the parts of the job.” Everyone is good at different things, but don’t scurry from parts of the job. Work the hours. Being a chef is a big sacrifice and you shouldn’t be leaving the job early if you want to be taken seriously. Carry the 50 pound pot of meat. Of Course, there are always exceptions for example if you’re pregnant, but that goes for everyone. If a co –worker hurt their leg of course, people would help him/her out. If there is nothing physically wrong with you though do the work.

What advice would you give for Chef’s in general?

Remember the front (waiters and waitresses) of the house is the most important. People will go back to a restaurant if they have an exceptionally happy experience. There served well, it was happy, they felt good – even if the food was just okay. They will not go back if the service was terrible even if the food is really good. Generally speaking, it’s the Chef job to make the front of the house happy.

I had a truly great time speaking to Chef Shelley Young and learning more about The Chopping Block and her passion for people and cooking. We wrapped up the interview with a short conversation on the restaurant industry. I wanted to share with my fellow foodies and restaurant goers something I found interesting. Being a chef or opening up a restaurant is not a lucrative business some may think it is. There’s a simple formula (not that simple to achieve) how money should be divided in order to have a successful restaurant.

  • 30% – Food Costs
  • 30% – Labor
  • 30% – Overhead (Rent, etc…)
  • 5% – Taxes
  • 5% – Capital Improvements and Investments

Per $1.00 only 1 to 2 cents is profit! This is if you’ve got the “simple formula” down pack, but of course, food and labor usually cost more than 30%. With that said the next time you go to a restaurant and complain about the prices know that it takes a lot more money than you think to operate a restaurant and to provide quality food. If you want people to get paid a decently hourly rate and for the food to taste delicious we have to be willing to fork over a little more dough. Chefs generally aren’t in it for the money. It’s a passion that they are looking to share with us. Just think about how food has attributed to ALL the good times in your life. 🙂

Once again, CONGRATULATIONS Chef Shelley Young and The Chopping Block on 20 years and cheers to more years to come!

April 4th
Chef Shelly Young is hosting an intimate chef’s dinner class at the Lincoln Square location. $250.00/Ticket

April 8th
The Chopping Block Merchandise Mart location has a 20th Year anniversary celebration.  Free cooking classes, All-Star Chef line up, wine/cocktail samples, retail discounts, games, giveaways, and much more!
FREE! NO RSVP is required

Shelley Young and Tavi J

Digiprove sealCopyright secured by Digiprove © 2017

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So excited to be at the James Beard Awards Gala! F So excited to be at the James Beard Awards Gala! For more than 30 years, the James Beard Awards, are among the nation’s most prestigious honors. Tonight we’re gathering for the restaurant and Chef awards ceremony. 

The @Beardfoundation is a Nonprofit organization with a mission to celebrate, support, and elevate the people behind America’s food culture and champion a standard of good food anchored in talent, equity, and sustainability. The gala brings together recognized leaders in the culinary and food media industries. 

𝙎𝙩𝙖𝙮 𝙏𝙪𝙣𝙚𝙙…. I’ll be showing you some behind the scenes, press room action, and Ofcourse the after parties!!! Good luck Chicago Chefs! #JBFA #beardfoundation #Jamesbeardfoundation #JBF
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What a beautiful beach 🏖 day! One essential I’ll have with me ALL summer long is @Tesalate Sand-free beach towel. Absorblite™ fabric tech is engineered to revolutionize the beach towel. Tesalate beach towels are fast drying, super absorbent, compact and light. Head to the blog for more details! (Link in bio)
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𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐀𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐭! The 6th 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐀𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐭! The 6th Annual @Chicagorumfest is 4/30/2022 at Logan Square Auditorium. They’ll be more than 50 rum expressions poured, speaker programming, entertainment, 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓂𝑜𝓇𝑒! #Ontheblog I’m sharing with you the ticket link and ALL the details. (Link in bio)
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Looking for something to do this weekend? Check ou Looking for something to do this weekend? Check out @Expochicago! The International Exposition of contemporary and Modern Art is taking place at Navy Pier’s Festival Hall April 7th - 10th. 

Last night I went to the media preview - Vernissage. Expo Chicago brings global community of artists, curators, designers, and art world leaders together in person. Purchase tickets to gain access to work by over 3000 celebrated artists represented by 140 international galleries.

Make sure you check out The Child of God exhibit by artist Naila Opiangah @bouenguidi. @Chancetherapper partnered with the Expo to showcase this powerful piece.

For more details on the Expo and where to buy tickets head to the blog (link in bio).
#expochicago #childofgod
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Checking out the new English Pub & Cocktail Parlou Checking out the new English Pub & Cocktail Parlour in Lincoln Park @thealbionmanor.
Downstairs is the pub (open 7 days a week) Upstairs is the parlour (initially open Thurs - Sat). 2 floors of food, fun, and a beautiful ambiance! Executive Chef @mark_urbanchef94 offers a seasonal menu selection of meat, seafood, and vegetable dishes, plus desserts. Link in Bio for more info. :)
Sidenote: Get the burger it’s delicious!!!
#Chicago #lincolnpark

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Dinner last night was YUMMY! 😋 Have you been to Dinner last night was YUMMY! 😋 Have you been to @theepicburger? 🍔 I went with the Farmhouse Burger. 😋

🚨 For a limited time they have an 𝐄𝐩𝐢𝐜 𝐀𝐅 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞. What is that you ask? You pay $20.08 to eat the following in 20 minutes and 8 seconds: two double Black Angus Beef Epic Burgers, double order of Epic Fries, an order of Sweet Potato Fries, an order of Onion Rings, a 3 Piece order of Chicken Tenders and an Epic Shake. Those with dietary restrictions can choose the Halal or Vegetarian option too!

Winners receive: Gift Card for $20.08, EPIC AF Shirt, Name/Photo in a social media post. Must be 18 years or older to participate, No assistance with competition, Must complete all food and milkshake within 20 minutes and 08 seconds Must sign a waiver.
#epicburger #chicago
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#chiataglance #Easter #Passover #foodblogger #choosechicago #foodie #chicagochef #chicagofoodie #cheflife #blackbloggers #chicagoevents #chicagofoodscene #blackpeopleeats #chicagorestaurantweek #chicagoillinois #chicagobucketlist #chicagorestaurants
Checked out Chicago’s newest exhibition, “Pop Checked out Chicago’s newest exhibition, “Pop Stars! Popular Culture and Contemporary Art” @21cchicago. Hosted by the new 21c Chicago Creative Director @nigelbarker and 21c Chief Curator Alice Gray Stites. Go check it out!!
#21cPopStars #21cchicago

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I had the pleasure of previewing @Chwinery “𝙀 I had the pleasure of previewing @Chwinery “𝙀𝙨𝙦𝙪𝙞𝙧𝙚 𝙗𝙮 𝘾𝙤𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙧'𝙨 𝙃𝙖𝙬𝙠.” 😍 @Esquirebych officially opens to the public TOMORROW! The restaurant will continuously feature a rotating series of time-limited Visiting Chefs menus. First Chef up is Top Chef Judge, @tomcolicchio. His seven course Chef’s tasting menu is DELICIOUS and available starting March 21st through May 21st.

The Visiting Chefs series collaborates with renowned chefs to bring unique and distinctive food and wine experiences to Chicago. For more details head to the blog (link in bio).
#ESQUIREbyCH #Tomcolicchio

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