Chicago's Taste of the nation

Heritage Chicago Chef’s with Tavi J.

No child should go hungry in America, but 1 in 6 kids will face hunger this year. On Wednesday, August 29^th 800 attendees gathered at Revel Fulton Market for Chicago’s Taste of the Nation. Every year, the country’s best chefs, sommeliers and mixologists join together with one goal in mind: end childhood hunger in America by supporting Taste of the Nation® for No Kid Hungry presented by Citi and Sysco®. In 20 cities across the nation, guests of Taste of the Nation can sip and sample gourmet creations from each city’s premier culinary talent and participate in unique food, travel and lifestyle auctions – all while raising funds for No Kid Hungry, Share Our Strength’s campaign to end childhood hunger in America. Since 1988, Taste of the Nation has raised more than $98 million.

Cocktails from Causing a Stir

The 2018 Taste of the Nation Chicago event had 53 of Chicago’s best chefs and mixologists, 48 volunteers, 4 National Sponsors, and 9 local sponsors. Chicago’s Taste of the Nation for No Kid Hungry is supported by national co-presenting sponsors Citi and Sysco®, national media sponsor Food Network, national sponsor OpenTable and local sponsors Breakthru Beverage, The Chrysler Pacifica, Impossible Foods, Goose Island, Galdones Photography, Glenfiddich, Klein & Partners, Fortune Fish Company and Topo Chico.

Top highlights of the event included:

Tavi J and Kwame Onwuachi

Guest chefs from around the country

Dale Talde (Rice & Gold, New York NY; Dale is also a Chicago native)

Kwame Onwuachi (Kith and Kin, Washington, D.C)

Cesar Zapata (Phuc Yea, Miami, FL)

Upon arrival, guests enjoyed a taste of Impossible Foods’ plant-based flagship product, The Impossible™ Burger, as the “First Bite” crafted by popular bbq restaurant Bub City.

A new “Speakeasy” experience presented by Breakthru Beverage, featuring more than a dozen of Chicago’s hottest bars and mixologists shaking it up all night, including:

Jacyara de Oliveira, El Che Bar

Lee Zaremba, Boka Restaurant Group

Keena McCoy, Grand Central Bar

“The Giving Tree” – an interactive raffle experience – kept on giving, thanks to Chrysler Pacifica. Participants entered a unique gift giveaway highlighting the city’s top chefs.

Special two-set acoustic performance by The Shadowboxers, presented by Citi.

What a fun time for a great cause! No Kid Hungry is ending childhood hunger today by ensuring that kids start the day with a nutritious breakfast, eat healthy summer meals, and families learn the skills they need to shop and cook on a budget. When we all work together, we can make sure kids get the healthy food they need. No Kid Hungry is a campaign of the national anti-hunger organization Share Our Strength. Follow along at NoKidHungry.org.

More pics from the event!