Bacon Fans Wait with Baited Bacon Breath as Baconfest Chicago Announces 2018 Chef Lineup by Session

Bacon fans wait with baited bacon breath as Baconfest Chicago announces their 2018 Chef lineup by session. Chicago's biggest and best bacon bacchanalia will feature over 140 restaurants, highlighting 40 - 50 of the best chefs in the city at each of the three sessions.

"We know it's a harrowing decision trying to decide what session to attend at Baconfest," said Baconfest co-founder Seth Zurer. "We are looking forward to seeing what bacony goodness our Golden Rasher winners Christine Cikowski and Josh Kulp from Honey Butter Fried Chicken come up with to delight us, alongside new entries to the fest like Chef Anthony Baier from Kimski."

2018 BACONFEST CHICAGO CHEF LINEUP BY SESSION

Friday Dinner April 6

VIP Hour 6 to 7 PM

General Admission 7 to 10 PM

Bangers & Lace - Jason Heiman

Bar Roma - Fred Ramos

BBQ Supply Co - Dylan Lipe

Bliss Culinary Heaven - Tyler Nelson

Candyality

Cantina Laredo - Damon Workman

Chicago's Community Kitchens - Emily Cook and Abby Bicksler

Chicken + Farm Shop - Max Robbins

City Barbeque - Brian Carney

Cooking Skills Academy - Paul Guerrero

CP West Loop - Ariel Cole

Earl's Drive-Thru BBQ

Edzo's Burger Shop - Eddie Lakin

El Tapeo

Farmhouse Chicago - Eric Mansavage

Flo & Santos - Mark Rimkus

Half Day Brewing Co - Bob Zrenner

Heritage Restaurant & Caviar Bar - Guy Meikle

Howells & Hood - Brett Faldstein

Hubbard Inn - Esteban Garcia

Imperial Lamian - Alan Tran

Italian Village Restaurants - Jose Torres

Jam Restaurant - Ian Voakes

Jordan's Food of Distinction

Kanela Breakfast Club - Ivan Gonzalez and Alexandria Swieton

Kinzie Chophouse - Susan Frasca

Latinicity - Marcos Flores

Links Taproom - Dimitris Mallios

Miss Ricky's - Moosah Reaume

Monti's - James Gottwald

NIX Restaurant At The Knickerbocker hotel - Cliff Ostrowski

Nonna Santi's Biscotti - Jo-Marie Frigo

Park Grill - Alfredo Sandoval

Peckish Pig - Debbie Evans

Porkchop - Eric Feltman

PR Italian Bistro - Stefano Roman

Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel - Leah Turowski

Stan's Donuts & Coffee - Rich Labriola

Stanley's Kitchen & Tap - Esteban Garcia

State and Lake Chicago Tavern - Nathan Sears

Tap House Grill - Bob Zrenner

The Delta - Adam Wendt

The Grill on the Alley - Geordan Stenson

The Roaming Hog - Eddie Aguilar

Velvet Taco - Grant Morgan

Victory Tap Chicago - Joe Farina

Vie - Dan Compton

WHISK - David Rodriguez

Saturday Lunch April 7

VIP Hour 11 AM to Noon

General Admission Noon to 3 PM

Autre Monde Café & Spirits - Dan Pancake

BACARO - Drew Starkey

Bang Bang Pie & Biscuits - Emily Stewart

Birrieria Zaragoza - Jonathan Zaragoza

Bistro Campagne - Luke Creagan

Bistronomic - Martial Noguier and Amanda Downing

BITES - Derek Intapura

Burger Bar Chicago - John McLean

Carnivale - Rodolfo Cuadros

Chop Shop - Adam Grandt

Community Tavern - Joey Beato

Dmen Tap

Eataly - Jeremy Williams

Faregrounds - Gary Wiviott

Firecakes - Jonathan Fox

Hearth and Crust - Jose "Chepe" Garcia

Hearth Restaurant - Michael Elliott

Honey Butter Fried Chicken - Christine Cikowski and Josh Kulp

Hutch - Marc Wuenschel

Immm Thai Street Food

Inspiration Kitchens - Rick Paniagua

Jerk Modern Jamaican Grill - Dion Solano

Kaiser Tiger - Roberto Jacobo

Kitty O'Sheas - Mario Garcia

Lawry's The Prime Rib & SideDoor Chicago

Le Bouchon / La Sardine - Oliver Poilevey

LOKaL

Margeaux Brasserie - Brent Balika

Market House on the Square - Dan Marquis

N'awlins Edibles - Cheryl Bowman

Old Town Social - Cordero Miller

Orso's - Victor Flores

Paddy Long's - Pat Berger

Paulie Gee's Logan Square

Piece Pizzeria and Brewery - Jay Dawson

Porter Kitchen & Deck - James Keane

Rack House Tavern - Bryant Anderson

Roanoke - Brad Froelich

Sheekar Delights - Diane Joseph

ShowPlace ICON Theatre - Joe Ritter

Smylie Brothers Brewing Co. - Grant Carey

Sociale Chicago / Cafe Press - John McLean

Spacca Napoli - Jonathan Goldsmith

Table, Donkey and Stick - Ryan Brosseau

The Duck Inn - Kris Delee

The Heritage - Sieger Bayer

The Signature Room at the 95th

Ugo's Kitchen and Bar - Stephen Hasson

WhirlyBall - Nina Madsen

Wow Bao

Wrigley BBQ - Mitch Liebovich

Saturday Dinner April 7

VIP Hour 6 to 7 PM

General Admission 7 to 10 PM

312Chicago - Luca Corazzina

676 Restaurant & Bar - Joshua Hasho

ada st - Ryan Bair

Angry Pig Tavern - Mark Hemmer

Bakin' & Eggs - Bob Hartwig

Baptiste & Bottle - James Lintelmann

Bar Takito - Yani Sanchez

Barbakoa Tacos & Tequila - Abel Amador

BBQ'd Productions, INC

Broken Shaker - Sarah Docherty

Carnivore Inc - Erik Williams

ConEcepts - Turon Cummings

CURRENT

Edge of Sweetness - Paige Tyler

El Mariachi Tequila Bar & Grill - Rafael Alvarado

Flo Cafe & Bar - Leonard Sanchez

fourteensixteen - Bret Bohning

Frank-lee Delish - Ellice Weith

Green St. Grille - Kevin Killrakis

Half Sour - Greg Hageli

Hash House A Go Go

Inovasi - John Des Rosiers

Kimski - Anthony Baier

Kinfork BBQ and Tap - Juan Torres

Kody's Mini Donuts

Libertad - Marino Gil

McQ's Bar & Grill - Alton Morris

McWethy's Tavern - Dan Casey

Mercat a la Planxa - Diego Amat

Michael Jordan's Restaurant - Craig Couper

Michael Jordan's Steak House - Craig Couper

More - Patty Rothman

Pinstripes - Nicole Isabelli

Prime & Provisions - Joseph Rizza

Public House - Jeremy Tannehill

Smack Dab/Rogers Park Social - Same

Son of A Butcher - Rick Rodriguez

Steadfast - Ender Oktayuren

Sunda New Asian - Jess De Guzman

The Dearborn - Aaron Cuschieri

The Finery & Blacksmith Bar - Juliette Reyes

The Ruin Daily - Mario Manzini

Three Floyds Brewpub - Pat Niebling and Scout Hughes

Uncle Bubs BBQ - Kyle VerVynck

XO Marshmallow - Melissa Humphrey

Yolk

NEW TO BACONFEST CHICAGO - OLD FORESTER SPEAKEASY

Organizers also announced the creation of a new addition to the VIP ticket holder experience at Baconfest. Throughout each session of Baconfest, VIP ticket holders will have access to comfortable seating and premium bourbon tastings in the exclusive Old Forester Speakeasy. The Old Forester Speakeasy is a private lounge just steps away from the main hall where whiskey lovers can relive the prohibition era with cocktails featuring Old Forester bourbon as well as tasting flights of the Old Forester Whiskey Row Series. These tasting flights will offer a drinkable tour of bourbon history in the form of rare expressions of this classic American spirit. Included in the Whiskey Row Series: Old Forester's 1870 Original Batch, a 90-proof minimally filtered homage to Old Forester's original recipe, 1897 Bottled in Bond, a 100-proof distillation crafted to honor a watershed moment in bourbon history, the U.S. Bottled-In-Bond act of 1897, as well as the 1920 Prohibition Style expression, a 115-proof expression of Old Forester that reflects the style of bourbon in vogue during Prohibition.

BACONFEST CHICAGO TICKET INFORMATION

The tenth edition of Baconfest Chicago will be held on April 6 & 7, 2018 at the UIC Forum at 725 West Roosevelt in Chicago. For their ten year anniversary, Baconfest Chicago is offering new tickets levels for bacon lovers on any budget. Tickets start at $60, plus fees, and are on sale now at https://baconfestchicago.com/ticket/.

BACONFEST CHICAGO SUPPORTS THE GREATER CHICAGO FOOD DEPOSITORY

Baconfest Chicago supports the Greater Chicago Food Depository with a donation from event proceeds, a raffle on site and a food drive at the event. Over its nine year history, the event has generated more than $400,000 in donations to the area's largest food bank. This translates to more than 1.2 million meals for hungry people in our community.