March 7 - 9 | Andy Webber, Carlucci
March 14 - 16 | Dudley Nieto, Zocalo
March 28 - 30 | Mark Mendez, Carnivale
April 4 - 6 | Bill Kim, Le Lan
Chicago Chefs Bill Kim (Le Lan), Mark Mendez (Carnivale), Dudley Nieto (Zocolo) and Andy Webber (Carlucci Restaurant) will feature their acclaimed culinary skills at The Abbey Resort and Spa four different weekends this spring. As part of the resort’s Great Chefs at the Lake series, these four talents will individually develop a menu and work with The Abbey’s Executive Chef Scott Powers and his culinary team to create an intimate experience unique exclusively to The Abbey. “We are very excited to have four of Chicago’s finest Executive Chefs join us for this special culinary series,” said the Abbey Resort and Spa’s General Manager David Lindelow. “Our customers know these establishments well and we are hoping to begin a tradition of culinary weekends here at The Abbey,” Lindelow continued.
Each weekend will follow an excitingly full schedule beginning with a welcoming cocktail reception in The Abbey’s Harbor Ballroom from 6 – 7 p.m. Guests are encouraged to mingle with the featured Great Chef as a kick-off to a weekend of exclusive one-on-one opportunities with some of Chicago’s most renowned chefs. Saturday morning the guest chef will share some of his secrets as he hosts an hour-long cooking demonstration at 11 a.m. in The Abbey’s Porto Restaurant. A Saturday afternoon wine tasting follows, beginning at 3 p.m., and will offer selected wines that complement the foods of the Abbey restaurants. This tasting concludes at 4 p.m. and the sensational four-course dinner will begin shortly after at 6:30 p.m.
The dinner menu will be created by the featured Great Chef, prepared by the Abbey Resort’s culinary team, led by Executive Chef Powers, and presented at a private dinner for the participating guests in Porto. The four-course meal will be paired with wines selected to partner the cuisine. The Great Chef of the weekend will be available throughout the dinner to answer any questions about the meal he created.
Great Chef Weekend Packages at The Abbey Resort and Fontana Spa include the Friday night cocktail reception and Saturday’s cooking demonstration, wine tasting, chef-hosted four-course dinner. The cost for the exclusive weekend is $199 per person, plus tax and resort fees and based on a double occupancy. For reservations and information about The Abbey Resort, please call 800-709-1323. Babysitting services are also available for guests of The Abbey Resort.
ANDY WEBBER, CARLUCCI RESTAURANT
Andy Webber was born and raised in Downers Grove. A graduate of Downers Grove North High School, he began his restaurant career at the age of 15 at Arley’s Restaurant at the corner of Butterfield Rd. and Highland Ave. After two years in a pre-med curriculum at The University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana (all the while working various restaurant jobs) he left to follow his true calling. Returning to Chicago in 1978, he began working at Le Perroquet followed three years later by a job at Le Ciel Bleu. After 5 years in French kitchens, Webber made the transition to Italian cuisine, taking a position as Sous-Chef at Avanzare, the newly opened Lettuce Entertain You venture. He has stayed with Italian ever since. Still with Lettuce, he was the opening chef at Scoozi! in 1987. Six months later, after the death of his partner, Andy left Lettuce to pursue his own ventures; working for 12 years in the far north suburbs at Spasso and Mia Cucina Restaurants as well as other consulting projects. Now after a career of 28 years, he has returned to his hometown as executive chef at Carlucci.
The Carlucci Restaurants are famous for their open kitchens and this restaurant exceeds expectations. Full of warmth, Carlucci is a sleek, modern restaurant with high beamed ceilings and ornate lighting that compliments the inlaid, sculpted carpets scattered throughout the rooms. Also featuring a generous bar area complete with booths and tables and a bar that serves an array of cocktails and after dinner drinks. The brick lined walls add a rustic touch to the kitchen and the overhead lighted stained glass lends a feeling of comfort and warmth to the room. Chef Andy Webber delights the senses with his masterpieces of culinary cuisine including Pork Osso Bucco served with Saffron Risotto or our succulent Crisp Duck with Swiss Chard and a Sun-Dried Cherry Sauce.
CHEF DUDLEY NIETO, ZOCALO RESTAURANT AND TEQUILA BAR
ZOCALO is pleased to welcome newly appointed Executive Chef, Dudley Nieto, to their River North eatery. Chef Nieto has created a completely new menu (attached) and plans to showcase various regional Mexican dishes with classic and updated preparations. Chef will also highlight a different region of Mexico every month through special menu offerings.
Chef Dudley Nieto's experience has included the kitchens of Xel-Ha, Adobo Grill, Zapatista, Hacienda Tecalitlan, Chapulin, Chapultepec and San Gabriel Mexican Cafe. Nieto co-authored the book "Cuisines of Hidden Mexico: A Culinary Journey to Guerrero and Michoacan."
Updating the traditional flavors of Mexican cuisine is the specialty of ZOCALO Restaurant and Tequila Bar. Executive Chef Dudley Nieto blends both classic and new preparations of the regional dishes of Mexico. The menu includes braised and slow roasted meats in Yucatan style marinades, classic Oaxacan moles and fresh seafood and ceviches as served on the beaches of Acapulco.
CHEF MARK MENDEZ, CARNIVALE
Mark Mendez, of Puerto Rican descent, has appreciated and enjoyed Latin food from a young age. He loves to cook, loves to eat, and aims to make people “feel good” after they experience the dishes that he creates. While attending culinary school in 1993, Mendez further learned to develop his craft at Spiaggia on Michigan Avenue. He then headed to Patria in New York, studying along side Douglas Rodriguez, famous chef and author. It was while working at Patria that Mendez fully realized his enthusiasm for Latino cuisine. After one year at Patria, Mendez made his way back to his hometown, Chicago, creating dishes at Harvest on Huron, Spruce, Twelve 12, and Jerry Kleiner’s Gioco.
Now as the executive chef at Carnivale, Mendez is able to showcase his passion for Latino flavors, as well as his soulful approach to cooking. Mendez’s menu is a direct reflection of Latin culture and community, featuring dishes from Cuba, Brazil, Columnia, Puerto Rico, Peru, and Argentina.
CHEF BILL KIM, LE LAN
Bill Kim credits Chef Susanna Foo, a pioneer in Asian fusion cuisine, with teaching him her mastery of the classic and the contemporary, as she combines the precision of French techniques with the finest traditions in Cantonese and Shanghai. Susanna Foo and her Philadelphia restaurant is a recipient of many dining and writing awards, among them five Four Star Mobil Awards and multiple James Beard Foundation Awards. Foo's cooking has truly captured the attention of the culinary world while inspiring and influencing Chef Bill Kim.
Bill Kim's impressive French and Asian experience includes illustrious positions such as Chef de Cuisine, Charlie Trotter's; Sous Chef, Trio; Executive Sous Chef, Susanna Foo's Chinese Cuisine; Executive Chef/Owner, The Inn on Blueberry Hill; Sous Chef, David Bouley's Bouley Bakery and Executive Chef, Ben Pao. Kim is a graduate of the School of Culinary Arts at Kendall College.
Born in Seoul, Korea, Kim also credits his mother's Asian cooking as a source of inspiration. Mrs. Kim will even consult with her son and his staff in the preparation of classic Asian dumplings.
Le Lan introduced itself to Chicago in July of 2004. Since its opening, Le Lan was awarded “Best New Restaurant” by Chicago Magazine and placed in the “Top Asian” category with a 26 by Zagat’s Survey. Le Lan, which means “the orchid” in Vietnamese, opened with a focus on French-Vietnamese cuisine, collaborated by four star chefs Roland Liccioni (Les Nomades, Le Francais) and Arun Sampanthavivat (Arun’s). These two great chefs and partners will consult with Executive Chef Bill Kim, wh0 brings an exciting new culinary experience to the city of Chicago.
