Guests, sponsors and chefs alike were singing the praises of the 11th Annual Bon Appetit presents Chicago Gourmet! Known as one of the country’s top food and wine events, the festival presented a variety of city-wide activities from Wednesday, September 26 to Sunday, September 30, 2018. The festival is produced by the Illinois Restaurant Association, with generous support from title sponsor Bon Appetit and presenting sponsor Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits of Illinois.

More than 14,000 ticketed guests got in to the groove this year, and enjoyed the marquee main event in Millennium Park and the Grand Cru tasting, presented by UnitedHealthcare, as well as the solid gold roster of ancillary events. All told, the events raised more than $105,000 in charitable funds.

This year, the festival featured 185 sponsors and wine, spirit, beer and gourmet food exhibitors who provided indulgent tastings and fun activities for all. More than 280 top talent, chefs, and restaurants participated in the various music-themed events throughout the week, ranging from a bawdry BBQ, Blues and Bites bash by the Chicago River to an elegant Italian Feast on Chicago’s beautiful Symphony Center stage.

We topped the charts with our impression record, as Chicago Gourmet’s public relations and marketing efforts garnered an incredible 1.2 billion impressions (so far!) in 2018.

Save the Date for the 12^th Annual Bon Appetit presents Chicago Gourmet and the annual Hamburger Hop on September 27 – 29, 2019 in Millennium Park. Visit chicagogourmet.org for more information.