Baconfest

I am a true lover of just about bacon anything. This bacon fest was something to try out for the first time to see what all the hype was about. Not bad not bad! I wouldn’t necessarily say it was worth $ 100 a person but it was a great gathering of the neighborhood establishments in showing their talents off with the given meat. I may make it back again next year with more people.

Wow! What an event… bacon, cocktails, beer, tons of people everywhere. An orderly line leads you into bacon mania. Bacon in everything… desserts, drinks, popcorn, sandwiches, soups… Not sure I will go back next year but certainly an interesting experience.

SWINE TIME 2014
I was lucky enough to attend the evening dinner session on Saturday night of the 6^th Annual Bacon Fest. The event was completely sold out which happens every year. So if you’re ever thinking about going, then buy your tickets in advance.
There was a long line to get in but the crew from BaconFest got everyone into the UIC Pavilion remarkably fast. When I saw the line I assumed I would be standing out in the cold forever. This was one of the most organized entrances into a Fest I’ve ever seen. Well done BaconFest!
When we walked in the first thing we smelled was bacon, after 24 hours of bacon being served in here I can understand why. I just wonder how long it takes for the smell of bacon to disappear. The next graduation event in here is going to have all the attendees wanting some pork.
After entering the room, I had to go see Chef Amanda from Rockit, she was serving up an Applewood Smoked Bacon Chili with corn tortilla strips, bacon sour cream & chives. I received a cup but I sure could have used a bowl because it was that good. I wish I could have had a second serving but I was full by the end of the night.
I was ready to get my BACON on but I only had 2.5 hours to make it around the room. I knew I had to pace myself. This was not my first Fest, so I came up with a game plan. First I decided to stay away from the bacon deserts until the end, if I still had room in my belly. Next, only eat the bacon parts. If it came on bread the bread was not going in my mouth, except for Nana who made a house made biscuit. I could not resist and ate half of it. Yum!
There were so many amazing things I ate and I would love to highlight some of the fantastic items I tasted.
I met Chef Luca Corazzina from 312 Chicago. He was serving Involtino di Maiale which was a stuffed pork loin with pecorino cheese, oven cured tomatoes and basil pesto, wrapped with Nueske’s cherrywood smoked bacon. What? The pork was so tender and tasty. At the end of the night they offered a roll of pork loin for me to take home. I laughed and secretly wished I had a Tupperware dish with me.
I also met the owner Joe of J. ROCCO’S ITALIAN TABLE & BAR. His Chef, Steve Chiappetti was making Chicken and Bacon Meatballs featuring Nueske’s applewood smoked bacon, pine nuts, and a red pepper cream sauce. I joked with the staff that I need some pasta and they told me to stop by the restaurant because it can be done. Yes!
Can we take a moment to say thanks to Nueske’s for making an incredible bacon that all the great Chicago Chefs use. It says something about a product when you see it on menus around Chicago. I was glad they had a booth here. I had to sample two pieces because it is so amazing.
I also was intrigued by MONTI’S Bacon Stromboli which was a Philly turnover filled with crispy bacon, Black Angus ribeye, grilled onions and swiss cheese. It was like Philly meets Italy. I really need to get over there for one of their Philly sandwiches.
Chef Matt Riordan from SAIGON SISTERS was really cool. He was making Bacon Laab with kaffir lime, galangal, toasted rice on endive. It was kind of like a bacon lettuce wrap. I enjoy edible dishes that are green and not bread.
I also can’t forget about the drinks. Owner Anthony from 3 Aces was serving up a Manhattan. It was called a Ham-​hattan with bacon infused bourbon, sweet vermouth, bacon bitters, maraschino-​cherrywood bacon garnish. The crew from Wirtz Beverages were pouring some great craft brews from Deschutes Brewery in Bend, Oregon. I really loved the red chair beer and had two. I also can’t forget Tito’s Vodka who was mixing up some delicious infused bacon drinks. I love Tito’s! I loved it before anyone knew about it and now everyone loves it. I was glad to be on the wagon before the bandwagon jumpers. But if you’re going to jump on any band wagon then this is a good one to get on. Go Tito’s and thanks Emily & Chris for everything. You made my night. We also can’t forget the classic beers. There was a booth serving up classic Old Style and PBR. Bacon goes well with drinks.
Best title goes to Chef Gary Wiviott from BARN & COMPANY. He had written «BBQ life coach» on his chef jacket. That is really inspirational.
I also loved how they had someone on site to check your cholesterol and blood pressure at the event. I thought that was really funny with all of the amazing bacon food choices around. I thought that would be a bacon buzz kill, so I stayed away and was able to live another day.
BaconFest was a lot of fun. There were so many talented chefs serving up bacon inspired dishes, deserts and drinks. The best part about this Fest is that the money goes to charity and helps the Chicago Food Depository. This event is a win-​win for everyone. It shows that bacon can unite everyone to do good. The crowd was great. Everyone was respectful despite it being packed. I look forward to next years event and can hardly wait to get my Bacon Fest on again.

Food and drink coma. Prepare to be stuffed, prepare to need an gastroenterologist, a cardiologist and someone from AA to start you on your 12 steps.
I will admit at first it seems overwhelming, a big crowd and many booths to hit, so we logically figured out a system. First thing get a drink and then a quick bite of food, once you do that start at one end and work it like a grocery store. The layout seemed to follow food in the middle and aisle to your right or west, and sweets to the east along with the retail items, the drinks are mainly on the south or back wall, this isn’t a hard guide, some things are interspersed throughout.
There is this gin drink with cucumber that’s really refreshing, and another one called Death’s Door, that will knock you on your ass. About 8 p.m. people start getting friendlier once they realize that food and drink will not run out, and people will actually tell you where they got something from and if it’s good.
They can use some more of those round tables for people to put down there plates and eat up. Plus, as much as it’s nice to mingle at a table and enjoy your drink, people really need to move on. A couple of times I was balancing a couple of small plates and my drink, with no way to eat what I got.
I’m not one for crowds, and for the first 15 minutes, I had thoughts of just leaving. However, if you’re not a crowds person give it a chance. I went from wanting to run out to, I’ll plan on doing this again.
Most of all don’t forget big props to the Chicago Food Depository which benefits from this, so the people eating up the fat at Baconfest won’t be the only people getting a meal.

Baconfest is very fun but we learned the hard way that it doesn’t F around. We went in like sorry amatuers without a plan, a direction, a portable tray, sufficient water supply or elastic waistband pants. Post Baconfest could be described as the worst I’ve ever felt. Ever. I think oxygen stopped flowing properly to my vital organs. But man that first 45 minutes was blissful in all of its bacon glory.

Bacon bacon bacon. What a great night. There were about 125 different food stations to taste their bacony goodness. Unfortunately, we only got through about 40 of them before our stomachs decided to protest. I’ll be back again next year as this is a very well run event.

This review is for the 2013 event. This was my first Baconfest and it is quite an event; approximately sixty venues (many of them high end venues such as Michelin starred Acadia and other notable locales like Table 52, Café Spiaggia, Perennial Virant and countless others) each showcase a bacon themed item. Roughly two thirds of the venues had savory items and one third sweet. There is also several adult beverage vendors; various breweries, a couple of wineries and some cocktail stations (from Sable, Barrelhouse Flat and sponsor Templeton Rye). Each restaurant has a station with their samples out, ready for consumption and most were staffed by their executive chef and some additional staff — so it was a nice opportunity to mingle as you consumed several months worth of bacon.
For $ 100 (plus $ 3.49 processing fee) you have 2 & ½ hours to eat and drink to your hearts content (all food and the six drinks are included in the price). For twice the money you can upgrade to VIP status and enter an hour early before the masses. I found the pricing to be fair for what you received for the general admission and do not think it is necessary to splurge for VIP status.
While the event is crowded (and tends to sell out quicker than tickets to Next restaurant) it was well organized. The space in the UIC forum was sufficient that it never felt uncomfortably crowded and there were so many vendors that long waits were rare. Signage clearly marked what restaurant is where and there was ample time to eat and drink to your hearts content (well, assuming bacon is good for your heart). My only beef was that people were encouraged to arrive early to check in and line-​up, but it was an unusually cold day and people were made to wait outside; it would have been nice if they had staged an indoor waiting area.
Food and drink wise I had a fun time, but I would say it was a really good rather than great event. Most of the food was tasty, but few stood out as being outstanding and it seemed like the event was more about quantity than quality. While the crowding did not make obtaining food or drink difficult it did cause the event to lack any type of intimacy or upscale vibe. The biggest mistake I made was trying to eat too much, too fast — thinking that long lines would soon form making it difficult to get my money’s worth. As such I devoured everything I could get my hands on at first and realized I was starting to become full after half an hour and had yet to try many items I had been excited about (the menu is posted online about one to two weeks prior).
My advice to future attendees is to treat this as a marathon, not a sprint. Be selective during the first hour and a half; just eat the items you are most intrigued by, do not finish something if you are not loving it, and take some time to socialize and mingle between bites. I was surprised that some venues were churning out appetizer sized tastes rather than amuse bouche portioned bites — so it is easy to fill up rapidly if you do not have multiple stomachs.
I ended up trying a little over half of the restaurants before becoming uncomfortable full and calling it quits. For me the standouts were the pork belly sliders from Sable, the bacon ice cream atop a waffle with nutella from Black Dog Gelato, the Bacon pop tart with choose-​your-​own fixings from Acadia, the gougeres with kimchi sweet potato mousse from Bar Pastoral and bacon bread pudding wrapped in bacon with bacon bourbon caramel sauce from Bridge House Tavern. Beverage wise a spicy bacon bloody Mary was my favorite; the other cocktails were too sweet for my liking but it was nice also having various beers and wines available.
All-​in-​all this was a fun event, but as I try to eat reasonably healthy (despite dining out more often than at home) this will likely be a one time indulgence for me. At least I learned a valuable lesson for like minded events to slow down, enjoy and not stuff myself like it is my last meal (though they did have ambulances on standby just in case an event such as at the Heart Attack Grill transpired). I will try to put my own advice to practice next weekend at Cochon 555.

My first time and it was sooo goood. About 55 restaurants at this year’s dinner session and got to about 42… needless to say i was satisfied, but also damn tired. There was just so much bacon and I loved every savory pork bit of it. Gemini Bistro had this amazing ravioli with pancetta, Three Aces had a bourbon bacon milk shake which was tasty. I can go on and on, but I’ll just say you need to go to Baconfest. It included 6 drink tickets, of which I only used 2 since I was so dang full. One of those drinks was called the rusty door hinge, which was made with Templeton Rye Whisky… it was soooooo good, luckily they sent all the Baconfest attendees the recipe. I also tried the bacon vodka bloody mary… it just made sense, why didn’t I think of it. I’ll probably go again next year if the price stays the same, but will do the lunch session.

Don’t even know where to start with this review… Wish I could give a detailed review of everything I ate but I kind of blacked out (or minor cardiac arrest?) halfway through due too bacon overload. JK no such thing as too much bacon. Sarah does a great job reviewing some of the standouts at the fest. Some of my favorites to add on (although not limited to) are:
Black Dog Gelato — I came back to this booth multiple times, not even embarrassed when I was called out. I have a crazy sweet tooth and Black Dog has been high on my list to go to. The Mini Whiskey Bacon Pops were unbelievably good. I can’t wait to go try their tasty creations in their shop.
Davanti Enoteca — Again, another restaurant high up on my list of go to spots so I was happy to chat with them and their pork belly porchetta with artichoke mostarda was unreal. The porchetta pretty much melted in your mouth and was so good.
IPO — Their sous vide pork belly with innovative garnishes like popcorn pudding, spicy chicharrone, and popcorn broth was an explosion of flavor. Definitely made me a believer and I will be visiting this restaurant in the future.
Saigon Sisters — I was disappointed when hearing that this place was over rated since I love Thai food, but there’s nothing I appreciate more than a good phở. Their bacon phở with black garlic noodles, pickled quail egg and micro Viet herbs was awesome. I could eat this every day. Well done.
There were many others… but this is about when my blackout ensued.
No wonder this event sells out within 30 minutes of going on sale. My 2^nd consecutive year at Baconfest, I consider myself sort of a veteran. However, I didn’t follow my own mental notes from last year so I look forward to trying again… and again. Here’s some tips for newcomers (and vets):
PACE YOURSELF. This is easier said than done. You walk in and the smell of bacon engulfs you. You immediately want to go to the first booth and start shoveling pork products into your mouth. Savor the food, know what you are eating, and take some notes!
Bring a Pen and check off your favorite booths and take notes of your favorites. Wish I had done this, so many good things were eaten but I forget what each were and from where.
Bring some zip lock bags and/​or Tupperware if you’re hardcore. This might not be allowed, but trust me, there are lots of leftovers and lots of tasty stuff you’ll want to take home. By the end, the vendors that have too much food will pretty much be begging you to take extra. Wow Bao, for example, was giving me 3 – 4 boas to take home.
Hydrate. So much bacon, meat sweats will ensue. Have plenty of water or beer/​liquor that is provided at the event. This might mean stopping at the Templeton Whiskey vendor numerous times… delicious bloody mary’s!
You get 6 drink tickets. Most of these are not used and if you’re proactive and drinking from the various vendors, tons of people will happily give you there tickets. If you go with a group of friends, this can be very fun. Load up on drink tickets and let the Goose Island flow. Bacon and beer, doesn’t get much better than this!
Bring a camera! My phone died and this was a huge disappointment. Whether you’re a foodie trying to get foodporn shots or just a novice snapping pics of the hilarious variety of pork related tshirts, there are so many pics to take at this event. Next year, I want to take a pic of all of my favorite shirts, the variety is endless. My favorites that come to mind were «Keep Calm Eat Bacon» & «Bacon Gives Me a Lard On» and the «Pork Me» shirts worn by 2 women.
Great event for a good cause. Well worth the $ 75 ticket.

Baconstrips & Baconstrips & Baconstrips! A cry made famous by Epic Meal Time and shouted by many while walking around UIC Forum for the annual Baconfest. Hate on the concept all you like, this is one well planned, well executed and very tasty event done so well last year it brought me back for a second time this year.
So what exactly is Baconfest? It’s an annual celebration of all things bacon (yep, that includes my personal favorite pork belly). Some of the best restaurants in Chicago & the ‘Burbs (I’m looking at you Vie), set up shop and create a bacon dish to share with 3000 patrons who paid $ 75 each for admission. Each restaurant gets a booth and man do they pump that food out! Aside from restaurants, there is also a section with vendors selling all things bacon like novelty items, clothing, cool bacon crystal earrings, caramels, chocolates and much more! But let’s be honest, the big draw is the restaurants.
I’ve added a ton of pictures with descriptions and which restaurant they came from for everyone’s benefit. The food highlights for me were:
*BUTCHER & THE BURGER: Organic dates stuff with housemade bacon sausage, wrapped in bacon. I’m not usually a fan of dates but these were so good! I’m sure the stuffing helped! Yum!
*EPIC RESTAURANT: Root beer glazed pork belly, golden beets, horseradish cream & milk chocolate with bacon caramel. I loved this dish as it was obviously a dish they took time on and didn’t just throw together something quick & easy for Baconfest. Plus, it came with a dessert of chocolate with bacon caramel & pecans. Both pieces of the dish were fantastic.
*694 WINE & SPIRITS: The Kick Ass BLT. Best in the city, ’nuff said.
*TOWNHOUSE: Applewood Smoked Bacon Doughnut Hole with Bourbon-​Pecan Glaze and Vanilla Bean Gelato. One of the most amazing things I’ve ever tasted. I usually don’t like desserts that don’t have any chocolate and this was easily the best dessert of the night. Actually, the best dessert I’ve had in a very long time.
*BROWNTROUT: Escargot & Bacon Bouchee — creamed leeks, red wine pork jus, fine herbes. Escargot & bacon made for a perfect pairing!
*GEMINI BISTRO: Bacon x 3: Hand rolled porchetta ravioli, crispy panchetta chip, warm bacon vinaigrette. My favorite dish of the night! Every component of the dish was fantastic and blended so well together! Perfection!
*BLACK DOG GELATO: Mini Whiskey Bacon Pops. Lets be honest, everything Jessica Oloroso does is genius. When I heard Black Dog was goign to be there, I was excited to see what type of bacon ice cream she’d make but didn’t expect what she delivered! A little messy but gooey goodness from start to end.
*ATWOOD CAFE: Bacon Poprocks and Bacon Pixie Stix Sugar — Super cool idea and inventive! They sucked me in.
*LEOPOLD: Braised cherry-​smoked belly with beluga lentils & white asparagus. This dish was amazing! I’ve never had anything like it before and truly enjoyed it.
*SUNDA: Braised Applewood smoked pork belly ssam w/​crispy bacon, apple kimchi, rice with a spicy miso paste. I’ve been to Sunda and know I love the restaurant but they wowed me with this dish. I appreciated the bit of rice I needed to tame my tummy with all the grease I had been eating. The flavors in this dish were amazing and I was surprised I loved the apple kimchi.
*STATE & LAKE: Foraged Truffle — They really thought outside of the box on their booth. You had to dig in chocolate dirt for the chocolate truffle. Clever, clever and so rich to boot!
*TRENCHERMEN: Bacon kimchi mortadella, pickle aioli & bacon tater tots — I loved this brunch style dish. it was fantastic and yummy in every possible way.
The above restaurants have accomplished what I’m sure is one of their goals and has made me want to make a reservation there. 694 did just that last year at Baconfest and has made me the biggest fan.
I am a reality show addict and Top Chef being one of my favorite shows, I appreciated seeing Stephanie Izard (Girl & The Goat), Heather Trehune (Sable Kitchen & Bar), and Sarah Grueneberg (Café Spiaggia). I hoped against hope that Art Smith would be there for Table Fifty-​Two but was let down.
My tips for Baconfest noobs & friendly reminder to myself:
–Arrive 30 minutes before start time so you can go in, register, then get a good spot in line.
–Women, tie your hair up! It gets hot in there! Also women, don’t bring in a purse. They give a Baconfest Totebag you can use, so just grab your ID, cash & phone and leave the rest in the car.
–Don’t try to hit up every single booth one after the other. Take breaks, every hour is a good idea to stay refreshed.
–Stay hydrated! Drink lots of water with your portions.
–Enjoy the event! Don’t try to just shovel food into your mouth. Know what you’re eating, from where, learn about the chef, truly appreciate what you’re dining on.
Dear Baconfest, thanks for all you do. Also, thanks for fixing the water situation from last year & adding pop!
Long live Baconfest! Next year I’m going VIP baybee!