The Chicago Traveler

This season of the Bravo Network’s Top Chef was filmed here in Chicago, exposing competing chefs from all over the country to all the culinary treats the Windy City has to offer.
The competition is almost over, down to the final four contestants. In the first part of the finale, the four chefs actually left Chicago to visit the beautiful country commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
If you want to enjoy the flavors and culture of La Isla del Encanto (“the Island of Enchantment”) but can’t make the 2,000-mile (3300-km) trip, visit Humboldt Park on the northwest side of Chicago. This neighborhood, where …read more

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This season of the Bravo Network’s Top Chef was filmed here in Chicago, exposing competing chefs from all over the country to all the culinary treats the Windy City has to offer.
The last Quickfire Challenge tested the five remaining contestants’ butchering skills. Each chef was given 20 minutes to cut and clean seven “tomahawk” chops from a side of beef. They were then given an additional 30 minutes to cook two of those chops to the guest judge’s (Rick Tramonto) preference: medium-rare.
Chicago has a long history with beef and livestock. Chicago was home to the Union Stock Yards, the …read more

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This season of the Bravo Network’s Top Chef was filmed here in Chicago, exposing competing chefs from all over the country to all the culinary treats the Windy City has to offer.
During the last Quickfire Challenge, the competitors took turns working a short-order line at the egg station of Lou Mitchell’s during the incredibly busy breakfast hours. Eggs can be tricky enough to cook well, but the chefs also had to deal with a small cooking space, keep track of multiple orders, and interpret the foreign diner lingo.
Lou Mitchell’s has been well-known for its breakfasts for the past 80 years. …read more

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This season of the Bravo Network’s Top Chef was filmed here in Chicago, exposing competing chefs from all over the country to all the culinary treats the Windy City has to offer.
This week’s Quickfire challenge tested the chefs’ palates by a series of 15 comparisons. Each chef was blindfolded and tasted two variations of the same food: one of a high-priced fine quality, the other of a lesser value.
Whether you’re looking for a refined, elegant meal or just some cheap eats, Chicago’s got something for you. The list of restaurants on the left provides stylish culinary experiences, while the examples …read more

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Call me morbid, but I find cemeteries absolutely fascinating. They’re like outdoor history museums, a direct look into the past and its people. And inside the Bohemian National Cemetery on Chicago’s north side lies the home of Helen Sclair, a.k.a. “the cemetery lady,” who’s even more intrigued by cemeteries than I am. After all, she lives in one!
This cemetery historian does keep a certain sense of humor about her situation though, keeping her home decorated as if for Halloween… all year round. Sclair now holds seminars and writes columns educating people about the importance of cemeteries. Her goal is to …read more

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Chicago’s downtown Loop is always bustling as tourists hop from store to store and locals in business attire rush to their meetings and appointments. But whether it’s crunch time or the time of their lives, they all look to one of Chicago’s historical landmarks to help them keep time.

The first Great Clock at Marshall Field’s Macy’s State Street store was installed on November 26, 1897. At that time, the clock was a symbol of elegance and prosperity. Mr. Field wanted this great clock to serve as a guide for all Chicagoans, attracting them to his store. The flagship store was …read more

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Dishing out breakfast since 1923, Lou Mitchell’s practically has the same menu that they started with. Some of the waitresses have been working there for over 20 years, and the decor? Beige booths, white-speckled black tile floors, plastic tablecloths, and plastic plants. Lou’s isn’t about fine dining; this is just good food with an old-Chicago charm.
I’ll admit, I have mixed feelings about this Chicago classic. When you enter the restaurant, you will encounter a line. There’s just no avoiding it. Now, some may argue that a line is a symbol of good food, that the restaurant has something worthy enough …read more

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