FOR:              BON APPÉTIT PRESENTS CHICAGO GOURMET 2012                          

            www.chicagogourmet.org

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CONTACT:    Janet Isabelli/Brenna O'Leary | Isabelli Media Relations

janet@isabellimediarelations.com | brenna@isabellimediarelations.com

(312) 878-1222

MEDIA ALERT

BON APPÉTIT PRESENTS CHICAGO GOURMET

WELCOMES CELEBRITY CHEF JOHN BESH

WHAT:          Chicago Gourmet 2012 - produced by the Illinois Restaurant 

Association, title sponsor Bon Appétit magazine and presenting sponsor SouthernWine & Spirits of Illinois- is pleased to announce the addition of celebrity Chef John Besh to this year's impressive lineup of participating chefs,winemakers, premium spirit producers and brewmasters.

Besh will serve as a guest judge at the Hamburger Hop, the weekend's Popular kickoff event, on Friday, September 28. He will also lead a spirited cooking demonstration on the Bon Appétit Main Stage, as well as a book signing, on Saturday, September 29.

ABOUT:        Chef John Besh is a frequent guest chef on the NBC Today Show, and

has appeared on top programs on The Food Network and the Sundance Channel. He won the James Beard Award for Best Chef of the Southeast in 2006, and was awarded Food Arts' Silver Spoon Award in 2009 for revitalizing the culinary legacy of New Orleans. 

Besh has set the benchmark for fine dining in his native Southern Louisiana, a geographic location known for its food. Each of his nine acclaimed restaurants (August, Besh Steak, Lüke, Lüke San Antonio, La Provence, American Sector, Soda Shop, Domenica and Borgne) celebrates the bounty and traditions of the region. Besh's devotion to local ingredients and local cuisine also extends to his entrepreneurial projects, including the creation of Besh Restaurant Group Catering; the launch of a line of gourmet products; and the publication of his two cookbooks, My New Orleans and My Family Table. A former U.S. Marine, Besh has partnered with Baton Rouge-based emergency reconstruction specialists Arkel International, for which he creates high quality ready-to-eat meals for distribution to thousands of emergency response teams and sustained strategic operations in the U.S. and around the world. In recognition of such far-reaching contributions, the Louisiana Restaurant Association named him Restaurateur of the Year in 2008.

WHERE:       Millennium Park - Chicago, IL

WHEN:         Hamburger Hop: Friday, September 28, 2012, 6 to 9 p.m.

       Chicago Gourmet: Saturday, September 29, 2012, 12 to 6 p.m.

       Chicago Gourmet: Sunday, September 30, 2012, 12 to 5 p.m.

HOW:           To purchase tickets and for more details, visit www.chicagogourmet.org.

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