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Lights, Camera, Napkin! Chicago Gourmet 2019 is finally here. Main Event tickets are still available for Sunday, September 29, and there are still a limited number of 20% off tickets to select Encore Events. Use the code "CG20" for 20% off tickets to the following show-stopping events: Raise Your Glass to Freedom: A Hamilton Exclusive , Jef Comedy Jam , The Big Chill(i) , and Rise & Shine Gourmet . Protecting the tip credit in Chicago is a top priority for the Association. Take action and tell the City Council to save this vital part of our industry for employees, customers, and restaurants. Read more from Crain's Chicago and Chicago Tribune . Looking for ways to more effectively make payroll and meet rising operating costs? Join the IRA and Restaurant Rockstars Tuesday, October 8 at 3:00 p.m. for a complimentary webinar on three actionable steps restaurants can take to improve their profitability. Save the date for this year's 42nd Annual Chef's Table event - a James Bond-themed affair at Morgan MFG Friday, November 15. Proceeds support the IRA Educational Foundation and ProStart® programs. Click here to learn more about sponsorship opportunities, and stay tuned for ticket details.

The New Food Economy - Google Added an “Order Online” Button; Restaurant Owners Wish It Would Go Away Crain's Chicago - Tipped Wage Data Should Give Aldermen Pause CBS - Restaurants and Hotels Have Nearly 1 Million Jobs to Fill Variety - With Cannabis Lounges, On-Site Consumption, Marijuana-Infused Meals Go Legit Chicago Tribune - California Adds Wage, Benefit Protections for Gig Workers Slate - Straw Wars Bloomberg - Long-Awaited Trump Overtime Pay Requirements Unveiled

More Than Our Brand, It Is Our Way of Doing Business For all of us at the Buckhead Meat Companies, Buckhead Pride is much more than our brand…it is how we conduct our business. We take great pride in the products we make, the farmers and packers we buy from, and the customers that we service. We are also proud of our dedicated team of professionals that are passionate about delivering quality and consistency. Click here to learn more from Buckhead Meat Chicago.

Maintaining a Healthy Lifestyle While Working in the Kitchen, by Sarah Mispagel-Lustbader, Pastry Chef at Sepia/Proxi Pastry Chef Sarah Mispagel-Lustbader brings her nationally-informed pastry expertise to Sepia and Proxi, in downtown Chicago. While creating attention-grabbing and time-honored desserts, she also maintains a healthy and balanced lifestyle in and out of the kitchen.  Check out Sarah's five tips for staying healthy while working in a restaurant kitchen.

IRA Calendar Sep. 24-29: Chicago Gourmet Sep. 25: Hospitality Hires Chicago Oct. 8: Maximizing Restaurant Profit Webinar with Restaurant Rockstars Oct. 15: Hospitality Reception for Speaker Madigan Oct. 16: 2019 Chefs Hall of Fame Event Oct. 30: New Labor Laws Impacting Restaurants Seminar with Laner Muchin Nov. 7: IRA Chef's Table Nov. 13: Western Suburbs Sanitation Manager Class at Coker Service, Inc.