IRA Spring Board of Directors Meeting
Yesterday, the IRA held the Spring Board of Directors meeting, bringing together dozens of members and sponsors. The meeting included advocacy updates, a preview of upcoming events, Educational Foundation updates and more. Thank you to IRA Chairman Kevin Vaughan for hosting us at the Emerald Loop Bar and Grill.
The Board meeting also featured Alderman-elect Bill Conway as the guest speaker. Conway spoke about the importance of hospitality businesses in his ward that covers the West Loop, Greektown and Little Italy, and how he envisions his first term as a Councilmember.
The meeting also featured a preview of IRA events in 2023, including next week's Chef's Table presented by Sysco and 8|Hospitality. Don't miss out on this far out party next Thursday, April 20th at Theater on the Lake. This is the biggest event benefitting the IRAEF annually and promises to be a groovy time - get your tickets before they're gone!
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Chicago to Host 2024 Democratic National Convention | |
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Earlier this week, Chicago was named the host city for the 2024 Democratic National Convention, beating out Atlanta and New York as the other finalist cities.
"It’s definitely a shot in the arm to the city,” said Sam Toia, a longtime Chicago booster and the president of the Illinois Restaurant Association in a recent New York Times article, adding, “We are a world-class city.”
The DNC will take place at the United Center August 19-22, 2024 and is expected to bring tens of thousands of visitors that will help boost restaurant traffic. For more coverage on how the DNC will help boost the hospitality industry, read coverage of Sam Toia's take in the Crain's, Chicago Sun-Times, WBEZ Chicago, The Real Deal, and Fox32 Chicago.
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Meet the Experts Registration Now Open | | |
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This year’s Meet the Experts event will be at Tunnel Chicago on May 17th from 5-8pm, featuring keynote speakers Thai and Danielle Dang of HaiSous.
Meet the Experts will feature over two dozen industry experts for an evening speed coaching and power networking.
The IRA is proud to partner with the Cook County Small Business Source as well as Gordon Food Service and Taft Law again this year.
Registration is free and is now open. For more information, click here.
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Grubhub to Award Restaurant Strong Grants to Small Chicago Restaurants | | |
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The Greg Hill Foundation's Restaurant Strong Fund and Grubhub want to award and further aid small business restaurants by providing them with the opportunity to grow. The Restaurant Strong Grant, made possible by the Grubhub Community Fund, will provide $1.25 million to small business restaurants.
To support small business restaurants, The Restaurant Strong Fund will provide grants ranging from $5,000 to $25,000 depending on the need and growth opportunity showcased in the application. Restaurants with a single location and 50 or fewer employees are eligible for the grant which, are open April 19 through May 10. For more information and how to apply, click here.
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Chicago Gourmet Launches Theme and Receives Grant | |
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It is an exciting time for Chicago Gourmet, presented by Southern Glazer's Wine and Spirits!
All Roads Lead to Gourmet at this year’s festival celebrating the intersection of food & travel. The 2023 events will take place September 21-24 and feature many returning favorites.
The lineup includes: Tacos & Tequila (9/21) presented by US Foods hosted by Chef Rick Bayless, Hamburger Hop (9/22) presented by Sysco and Blue Moon with Chef Stephanie Izard reprising her hosting duties, Late Night Gourmet presented by TAO Chicago, the official HH after party, two sessions of the Grand Cru (9/23) presented by United Healthcare and Lexus and Prost! In the Park (9/24), hosted by Chef Sarah Gruenberg. Stay up to date on Chicago Gourmet 2023 here.
We would also like to thank the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) for supporting our culinary festival with a 2023 tourism grant for 2023! The team is already working hard on the exciting programming - stay tuned for a full line up and ticket launch in July!
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Restaurant B2B Grants Now Open Through May 10 | | |
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Restaurant recovery grants are now open and close May 10. The IRA advocated for these Back to Business grants and we are working with our partners at the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) to provide application assistance.
Restaurants, taverns, bars, caterers, breweries, wineries, and food trucks can all apply. All applicants will receive a grant as long as the business meets eligibility requirements and submits proper documentation. Eligible hospitality businesses will be determined by revenue declines, as reflected on tax returns.
For more information about these grants and the application process, click here.
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Advocacy Update: Tell Congress to Pass Credit Card Competition Act | | |
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The bipartisan “Credit Card Competition Act” will bring competition to the credit card network routing market. It would require credit cards to operate on more than one network option to route financial data, which is already required with debit card transactions.
This legislation will finally foster competition and security in the payments ecosystem while bringing down the cost of swipe fees and encouraging innovative services and fraud protection.
If passed, this bill will reduce one of the highest recurring costs for every single restaurant that accepts credit cards. Click here to tell Congress to pass the “Credit Card Competition Act”
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Taste of Chicago Vendor Applications Now Open | |
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Vendor applications are now open for Taste of Chicago 2023. Restaurants, food trucks, caterers, and shared kitchens can all apply to participate.
This year, Taste of Chicago will have three pop up events on June 24, July 15, and August 5 in neighborhoods across the city, as well as in Grant Park, September 8, 9, 10.
Participants must be located in the City of Chicago. Preference will be given to those participants who exemplify the culinary treasures of the city and/or are a part of Chicago’s exciting culinary scene, who propose to serve unique menu items, and who represent ethnic and culinary diversity.
Applications are due May 1. For more information on applications, click here.
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Get Tips on Staffing Solutions for Spring and Summer through this Webinar | |
This morning, the IRA hosted a webinar on Staffing Solutions for Spring and Summer with panelists from Workforce, 8|Hospitality, and Healthy Hospitality.
The webinar, held in conjunction with the Cook County Small Business Source can be viewed here and the slide presentation can be seen here.
As a follow up, Workforce is offering a free 3 month tool to help you scale up for Summer, to learn more, click here.
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Register to Staff Up at Hospitality Hires on April 18 | |
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Registration closes tomorrow, April 14 to join a Hospitality Hires job fair.
The IRA, Choose Chicago, The Magnificent Mile Association, Illinois Hotel and Lodging Association, Chicago Loop Alliance, Near South Planning Board, World Business Chicago, and Cook County are once again partnering with the Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership to host the 6th Hospitality Hires Chicago (HHC) event on Tuesday, April 18 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at The Palmer House Hilton Chicago.
To date, HHC events have helped more than 900 people get hired or secured conditional job offers and is providing more than 200 employers with access to more than a thousand pre-screened work-ready candidates. Employers from retail, transportation, food services, hospitality, and related sectors are committing to hire hundreds of our residents.
To secure a table for your business at the event, click here. If you have any questions, please contact The Partnership’s Business Relations Specialist Marion A. Batey.
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Sign up for Advancing Health & Well-being Conference at Kendall College | |
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The IRA is partnering with Kendall College for an inspiring, interactive conversation with industry leaders and experts about how to create a healthier, more inclusive workplace culture.
The conference is Friday, April 28 from 8:30 AM–4:30 PM. For more information and to sign up, click here.
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