Posts Tagged ‘Lincoln Square’

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Summer Grilling Show

Wednesday, May 2nd, 2012 by Jennifer

Join us Saturday, May 19th from 11AM-3PM as we kick off the 2012 summer grilling season with our first annual Summer Grilling Show! For those of you who don’t know, we have a stunning, state-of-the-art grilling patio at our Lincoln Square location. Throughout the summer, we offer both demonstration and hands on grilling classes. You can learn how to make ‘Pizza on the Grill, ‘Meat on the Grill,’ or enjoy a ‘Rendezvous under the Stars’. The patio has a gorgeous tent, so rain or shine we are out there grilling it up!

On May 19th, book a seat in our 30-minute chef demonstration at 11am for just $5. During this demo, you’ll learn basic grilling techniques and can ask all the questions you want to ensure your upcoming grilling season is a huge success! We grill on our Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet gas grills, as well our two Big Green Eggs. We have an Extra Large Egg and Large Egg that we use in every grilling class all season long. If you have not tasted a bite off of a Big Green Egg yet, you are missing out.  The moisture retention on meat is incredible and that delicious, smoky flavor is one of a kind.

Take advantage of our one day only promotion of 20% off all grilling accessories (excluding Big Green Egg). We have a ton of great grilling merchandise in stock for the season like grilling baskets, cedar grilling planks, and flavored smoking chips. If you don’t have any grilling utensils, we’ve got a great 3 piece BBQ set. Lastly, my favorite grilling accessory of all time is our copper grilling skillet since it is SO versatile and I love mixed veggies on the grill. Also, for one day only, buy a Big Green Egg and receive FREE enrollment in one of our Big Green Egg basics cooking classes. If you have questions or would like to sign-up for the 30-minute demo, contact our Lincoln Square location at 773-472-6700.

Enjoy the show!

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Jennifer Rozman is the Store Manager at The Chopping Block Lincoln Square. Her favorite part of her job is sharing her cooking journey with others who are just beginning to explore the culinary world. When she's not taking a cooking class or researching her latest gourmet retail selection, you can find her working off all of the delicious treats the chefs share at hot yoga or on the tennis courts, when weather permits. Dining out at a restaurant she's never tried before is how she rewards herself, as she loves trying new things and celebrating others passions.

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Patio Parties

Thursday, April 26th, 2012 by Clair

If you’re a fan of The Chopping Block (and really, who isn’t?),  you know that we are the premier location for hands on and demonstration cooking lessons for the home cook . But did you know that we also have 6 beautiful kitchens to choose from for private events as well? What? You didn’t…. Well, let me fill you in.

The Chopping Block is celebrating its 15 year anniversary this month, and I am proud to say I’ve been a part of the company for six of those years.  In my time here, I have worked every kind of party you could think of: birthdays, bachelorette parties, showers, even a wedding rehearsal dinner. We also have prime space for corporate team building events, company meet and greets, retirement parties, and of course holiday parties.

If you did know all that, what you may not know is that at our Lincoln Square location we have a state of the art outdoor kitchen or as we call it – our patio. The patio is spectacular: a large tent covers two huge Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet grills, pizza oven and two Big Green Egg smokers.

If you’ve never seen it, I personally invite you to stop by for a tour or come in for our Grilling Season Kick Off party at our Lincoln Square location on Saturday May 19th from 11am till 3pm.  Just follow the smoke and if you need any grilling accessories, you’ll  receive a 20% discount that day only.

I’ll be there all day giving tours so I hope you can all stop by and say hi!

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Clair Smith is a Lead Chef's Assistant at The Chopping Block's Merchandise Mart and Lincoln Square locations. After being a long time student, Clair joined the TCB team in 2006. When she's not helping people learn how to cook, she enjoys traveling, camping, and entertaining family and friends. Clair lives in Hyde Park with her husband Ken and her cat named 'Kitty'. She loves Mexican cuisine and her "go to" dish of the moment is Pozole.

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Pride and Joy

Thursday, April 12th, 2012 by Carrie

If you have ever asked a chef what their most prized possession is, I’m sure the answer was ‘my knife’.  Cooking is a craft, and just as a carpenter or mechanic needs certain tools, so does the chef.  I really didn’t understand this until I went to culinary school and sliced through my first onion with a proper chef’s knife…. like butter.  It was amazing how easily the knife glided right through the vegetables (and yes, nicked my fingers a couple of times until I learned how to use it properly).  Sign up for one of our Knife Skills classes to learn how NOT to cut your fingers and how to keep the knife sharp.

I am lucky to have a great friend that currently lives in Japan and loves cooking as much as I do.  She recently sent me a knife that she had made especially for me with my name engraved on the blade.  I knew it was elegant, beautiful and very sharp when I first opened the box.  I didn’t use it for several months because I didn’t want it to get dirty, and then, when I couldn’t stand it any longer, I used it to prepare dinner one night and actually nicked myself three times!  Note: take your time and practice when you purchase a new knife to get used to the weight and balance of it.  If you like the looks of the knife my friend sent me, the Shun Premier line we carry is equally as elegant and sharp as mine.

There are many brands, styles, sizes, etc. of knives available today. Every chef has a favorite, and most of us are very opinionated about the ones that we like and do not like.  The Chopping Block is hosting its First Annual Knife Trunk Show this Saturday, April 14 at the Lincoln Square location so that you can see and test the brands we deem suitable for our kitchens.  Sign up for a 10 min, one on one Q & A session with one of our chefs by calling 773-472-6700, or just stop by from 11am-4pm to see what’s going on.  All of our knives are 20% off in April!

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Carrie finally found her culinary niche as a Chef Instructor for The Chopping Block in May 2008, but only after a hilariously traumatic demonstration interview (of which you will have to attend one of her classes to hear about). She gets a thrill of sharing the things she’s learned about food and cooking with others and the memories and experiences around food that have made her who she is today. Her hope is to take away the apprehension people have of cooking by pouring on her southern hospitality and charm and having fun in the kitchen. When she isn’t cooking, you can usually find her at a concert, a neighborhood restaurant or just hanging out with friends and enjoying their company.

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The Thrill of the Grill

Monday, April 9th, 2012 by Sara

It’s official. The patio at the Lincoln Square location opens in May, which means you can now register for grilling classes! The tent will be up, the grills will be rearing to go and the cold beverages will be flowing. I know, it’s pretty hard to resist.

We have quite the offering as you’ll see on the just -released May calendar. If you prefer to get your hands in on the action then look for the multitude of hands-on classes. If you would rather sit back and relax, then check out the demo classes. Either way, you can’t go wrong.

If you are one of the lucky individuals that own a Big Green Egg, you’ll be very interested in our new class called “Big Green Egg Basics”. This demo class is a tutorial that explains all of the nuances of grilling on the Egg. It is designed to teach you all about charcoal basics, heat management and smoking tips.  The menu in May includes Brined and Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Smoked Tomato Sauce, Grilled Red Potato Salad with Herb Mayonnaise and a Wood-Fired Fruit Cobbler. The awesome part is each month the menu will change so you can keep coming back for grilling goodness and become the master of your Egg.

If you have a deep love for pork like I do, I would suggest attending our “Pork on the Grill” class. In this hands-on class we’ll cover essential basics to make your pork juicy, tender and delicious. You’ll learn how and why brining is such an important (and easy) technique that takes your meat from good to great.

It’s hard to limit this blog to just a couple of the grilling classes so you’ll have check out our website  and view the slew of classes for yourself.  Join us this spring, summer or fall for some al fresco fun!

 

 

 

 

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Sara Salzinski has been a chef instructor at the Chopping Block since 2002 and loves sharing her knowledge of all things food-related with her students. She loves interacting with her students, making them feel right at home and at ease. Sara is also the Curriculum Coordinator at TCB which means she develops the classes, menus and recipes. A lot of Sara’s inspiration for classes and recipes comes from personal experience. When Sara and her husband, who is also a chef instructor, are at home they join forces and make countless mouth-watering creations that are then taste tested by their 5 year old daughter and 2 year old son.

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We Made it through Another Winter

Friday, March 16th, 2012 by David

Now we roll into the other season: grilling. This year, we are getting an early start with the beautiful weather.  Let’s hope it holds on.  I am particularly excited for this year’s grilling season because I’m finally getting the Big Green Egg.  My new addition to my already extensive cookware family should be here next week.  I can’t wait!

Photo Courtesy of Big Green Egg

After playing with them in our outdoor kitchen at our Lincoln Square location for the past two summers, I decided I needed one for my own patio.  Too many days of summer were wasted trying to “grill” indoors, because I didn’t have anything to use outside.  Those days are over.

The reason I’m bringing this up is that the Big Green Egg never goes on sale, ever, except right now.  For all you summer grillers and the die-hard winter grillers who have been looking to upgrade, now is the time.  I’ve been waiting, trying to justify to my wife, why I need a thousand dollar grill, and she finally gave in. Yeah.

Some of the things I’m looking forward to making are Chipotle Skirt Steak with Tomatillo Salsa, fresh veggies from the farmers market, a little queso fresco or Chihuahua and a warm tortilla for some homemade tacos.  Then there are BBQ short ribs, Cast Iron Cornbread, Grilled Potato Salad with Green Beans and for a truly amazing dessert, Peach Cobbler on the grill.

These are some of the dishes we will be making in our grilling classes this spring/summer, along with a whole new set of grilling menus, yet to be released.  So whether you ready to take the plunge and get a Big Green Egg of you own, or are just starting to get interested in some serious grilling, come check out our patio and get geared up for the other season.

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David Indriksons is a Lead Class Assistant at The Chopping Block with a background that goes from small scale bistros to large scale catering and everything in between. In addition to a great love of food, he is a self-admitted travel junkie that enjoys hanging out with locals around the world and trying new cuisine. Outside of TCB, he enjoys skating, snowboarding, and playing with his dog, Caesar.

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