Friday, November 09

Healthy Schools Campaign kicks off their season with Cooking up Change at the Bridgeport Art Center. The student/mentor cooking contest/benefit dinner includes OON’s Matt Eversman with Team Chicago Vocational Career Academy (see them make baked Cajun mac ‘n’ cheese); Frontera Grill’s Sarai Rosales with Team North-Grand High School; The Gage’s Dirk Flanigan with Team Tilden Career Community Academy; and many more. Judges include NAHA’s Carrie Nahabedian, Ina’s Ina Pinkney, Piccolo Sogno’s Tony Priolo and more. Admission $100.

Saturday, November 10

Chicago Foodways Roundtable presents Julia’s Cats: Julia Child’s Life in the Company of Cats at Kendall College. “A house without a cat is like a day without sunshine, a pie without fromage, a dinner without wine,” said Julia. Evanston-based author of the book Julia’s Cats, Therese Burson, will discuss Julia and Paul’s first kitteh in Paris, Minette, all their kittehs in France and their kittehs back to California. Langues de chat (cat’s tongues), the French butter cookies, will be served. Just when you thought you knew everything about Julia. This event will be recorded for WBEZ’s Chicago Amplified. Admission $3, FREE for Kendall students and faculty with ID.

Monday, November 12

Food editors Heather Sperling of Tasting Table and Chandra Ram of Plate host Food + Trivia, a Night of Cutthroat Competition Benefitting Hurricane Sandy Relief Efforts at Sono Wood Fired Pizzeria. Eat antipasti, wood-fired pizzas, charcuterie, cheese and gelati while battling through culinary trivia to win the grand prize: a gift certificate to Sono and neighboring Burger Bar Chicago. Plus play against chefs, including Jared Van Camp (Old Town Social, Nellcôte, and RM) to win an edible prize. One hundred percent of the ticket sales benefit Red Cross Hurricane Sandy Disaster Relief. Admission $30.

Tuesday, November 13

The Greater Chicago Food Depository collects for their annual Union Station Food Drive in the Great Hall. Food Depository volunteers will hand out grocery bags on Tuesday evening from 4 to 7 p.m. to return filled on Wednesday morning from 5 to 7 a.m. The most needed items are beans, canned fruit, canned vegetables, cereal, chili, jelly, macaroni and cheese, pasta, pasta sauce, peanut butter, rice, shelf-stable milk, soup, stew and tuna. Or simply donate funds now. Admission FREE, but donate food and drink.

Wednesday, November 14

Soup & Bread at the Garfield Park Conservatory benefits the Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance and Breakthrough Urban Ministries. Lula’s Jason Hammel will serve a special Hail Stone Soup Homage inspired by the hail stones of the June 2011 storm. Other soup chefs and their conservatory inspirations include the Chicago Reader‘s Mike Sula and Fern Room fiddleheads; City Provisions’ Cleetus Friedman and the beehives and honey; Fulton Street Garden’s Angela Taylor and Desert House prickly pear and agave; Gapers Block‘s Cinnamon Cooper and the Sun Room cinnamon tree; Graze Magazine‘s Cyndi Fecher and Palm House plantains; Hoosier Mama’s Allison Stout and the Palm House coconut palm; Inspiration Kitchens’ David Rosenthall and Fern Room turtles; Mana’s Jill Barron and Palm House ginger plants; Slow Food Chicago’s Megan Larmer the Children’s Garden lime tree; Swim Café’s Karen Gerod and the papaya tree; and West Town Tavern’s Susan Goss and the Palm House chocolate tree. BYO soup cup or borrow one there. Admission $5 suggested donation, FREE for GPCA Members.

Thursday, November 15

The Chicago Film Food Festival kicks off with Farm to Film to Table at Kendall College, hosted by and benefitting The Good Food Project. This annual event has become the ultimate dinner and a movie series, premiering this year with an evening of sustainable dishes and wine including “French Fries + Ice Cream”, with food by EL Ideas chef/owner Phillip Foss and film by Potluck Creative — and much more. Admission $45 general, $65 VIP.