so i went to london last week, but my macbook is out of service (blue screen, not booting up) so i may have lost all of my photos from the trip, along with about 5 years worth of other photos because i am a moron and didn't back up my brand new 3 month old macbook because why would i need to?  macs are supposed to be awesome and trouble free and besides, it's brand new!  why worry!  because electronics hate me, that's why.  so i'm not going to write about london because i'm pissed that i can't access the awesome photos, well, at least a few awesome photos, and also because i didn't upload them to flickr monday or tuesday or yesterday when i had tons of free time.  so that's cool.  i'll just say one thing about the trip: eat at St. John.  i would move to london just to be able to eat there on a regular basis.  my meal there was the best meal i have ever eaten in my entire life.  and i have the photos to prove it.  oh wait, no i don't.  fuck.

so today i volunteered to help with a lunch for the Chefs Collaborative summit happening in chicago right now.  the lunch for about 180 chefs, food scientists, activists, writers and foodies was served at cafe brauer at the lincoln park zoo and let me just say, wow.  that is the most beautiful event space i have ever set foot in and i want to go there every day.  

ok, so the menu consisted of 12 courses by a lineup of some of the most amazing chefs in chicago right now with food from some of the greatest farms in the area.  the lineup: Mark Mendez (Carnivale), Brian Millman (Uncommon Ground), Andrew Zimmerman (Sepia), Liz Tokarczyk (Limelight), Bruce Sherman (North Pond), Sarah Stegner and George Bumbaris (Prarie Grass Cafe), Carrie Nahabedian (NAHA), Patrick Sheerin (Signature Room), Rick Bayless (Frontera, etc), Jason Hammel (Lula Cafe, Nightwood), Paul Kahan (Blackbird, Avec, Publican), and Mindy Segal (Hot Chocolate).  and they were all there.  in the kitchen.  making their dishes.  each chef brought their own team of cooks so i set up, served and cleared.  and ate.  and was amazed at the talent in that kitchen.  what an incredible experience to have the food of so many great chefs together on one plate.  i will never forget it.

my favorite dishes were by Carrie Nahabedian (white corn polenta with la quercia prosciutto, cavolo nero greens, zucchini, eggplant and mint), Andrew Zimmerman (sweet corn chaat salad with pickle strips, mustard and charcuterie that i think was a head cheese?) and Paul Kahan (grilled sirloin with marinated italian kale trio and grilled peaches).  Rick Bayless' dish was a delicious cochinita pibil with pickled onions, tortillas and the spiciest habanero salsa i have ever tasted.  all of the other dishes were delicious as well, and i am so so grateful to have been able to participate in such a groundbreaking event.  

and it helped me forget about my stupid brand new broken macbook for a few hours.