My longtime newspaper editor Crista Zivanovic, who was also one of the collaborating editors for my fourth cookbook, loves to explore dining adventures in Northwest Indiana, Chicago and beyond.
And when a food feast is served up with a side of entertaining and fascinating food history, the experience is extra appetizing.
Earlier this month, Crista was excited to take me to her latest dining exclusion, an incredible course-by-course exploration of centuries of dining delicacies paired with libations for a two-hour gastronomical escape into the past, present and future.
Fairmont Chicago, Millennium Park, in partnership with TableMation Studios, launched Le Petit Chef: An Immersive Dining Experience back in January, and it’s been a hot ticket for all ages.
The unique culinary experience takes guests through an unforgettable journey of delightful dining and sophisticated virtual reality theatre, without the use of glasses or equipment, and is located in a cozy private dining space called the Cuvée Room, which is on the lobby level of the luxury hotel.
The featured theme idea of “Le Petit Chef” was created by Skullmapping, as the dinner timeline follows the world’s smallest chef on a recipe and toasting glass journey. Standing at 2 and half inches tall, the animated 3D chef character appears “magically” beamed on every table of the dining room, as he narrates to guests through what is a multisensory five-course (and very hearty) tasting menu with curated wine pairings.
Throughout the 90-minute production, Le Petit Chef moves around each place setting preparing the courses, with the help of 3D projection mapping, while telling a story of the history, ingredients and techniques used to make each dish. Choreographed in real time, each inspired course is delivered in unison with the animation. Fairmont Chicago is the only Chicago location to host Le Petit Chef.
During the salad featuring fancy heirloom tomatoes course, Le Petit Chef (in his entertaining French accent) informed me that “in the late 1700s, Europeans drew a false connection to the sudden deaths of aristocrats,” all blamed on tomatoes! The ill-fated aristocrats had eaten tomatoes off pewter salad plates and then became sick and died after ingesting the red fruit. However, the cause of death was actually due to the high lead content of their pewter plates.
Normally, the pricing per person starts at $155, exclusive of tax and gratuities, with an option of French wine pairing for $42. Seatings start promptly at 6 p.m. with an additional opportunity (based on scheduling) for a second seating at 8:15 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays. However, right now, Le Petit Chef is currently serving up a summer promotion with tickets at $130 a person with the wine pairing included plus taxes and service charge.
“We are thrilled to bring this unique dining experience to our guests, the city of Chicago and the larger Midwest region,” General Manager Clay Spencer said.
“The Fairmont Chicago culinary team has been working diligently to prepare for the unveiling. We’re delighted for diners to experience this culinary adventure through animation. It is a dinner like no other.”
After a generous pour of Champagne when guests arrive and the exploration of tomatoes in the first course paired with the Gran Moraine Brut Rosé, the main course is Butter Poached Beef with spinach, mustard seeds, caramelized onion, beets and bittersweet chocolate paired with Chateau Lassegue Saint-Emilion Red Blend. There is a scrumptious chicken course and kaleidoscope vegetable course of carrots, all leading to the dessert finale of Hazelnut and Sea Salt Mille-feuille with chocolate crémeux, burnt orange caramel and Nutella sand, set aflame and paired with Cypres de Climens Barsac wine.
For more information about Fairmont Chicago, 200 N. Columbus Drive overlooking the park destination, and to book the dining experience with Le Petit Chef, call 312-565-8000 or visit fairmontchicago.com.
Two of my favorite dining moments courtesy of Le Petit Chef was witnessing the lighting and projections transform our dining table into the tropical landscape of the Ancient Amazon, as well as a food plating tutorial using famed artist works like Picasso, Dali and Warhol as inspiration parallels.
– Original Credit: Fairmont Chicago
As difficult as it is to highlight which course was the favorite, the Chicken Roulade recipe courtesy of Elton Ambrose, the Fairmont Chicago’s executive chef, is certainly a front-runner. Simply put, this dish is a bacon wrapped spiral cut of chicken breast, with pickled shimeji mushrooms, charred haricot verts, a smear of potato purée and plated with a heart design created with wild cranberry jus.
Columnist Philip Potempa has published four cookbooks and is the director of marketing at Theatre at the Center. He can be reached at pmpotempa@comhs.org or mail your questions: From the Farm, PO Box 68, San Pierre, Ind. 46374.
Fairmont Chicago’s La Petit Chef’s Chicken Roulade
Herb mix:
Zest of 1 lemon
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 teaspoon Korean pepper flakes
Pinch of cinnamon
1 cup chopped thyme and parsley
Chicken roulade:
2 chicken breasts, about 6 ounces each
4 strips of bacon
2 cups herb mix
Salt and pepper
Pickled shemiji mushroom:
1 quart shemiji mushrooms
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
6 black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
1 sprig thyme
3 garlic cloves
Mashed potatoes:
2 pounds peeled Yukons
1 stick butter
1/2 cup half and half
1/2 cup sour cream
Salt and pepper to taste
Cranberry Jus:
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup dried cranberry
1 sprig thyme
2 shallots, chopped
Directions:
Combine all ingredients to create herb mix.
Place the chicken breasts between plastic, pound out until about 1/4 inch thick, and sprinkle with salt and pepper, then cover surface with the herb mix before rolling the chicken by tucking the chicken closest to you and roll until you have a log.
Place the bacon on the table and roll the chicken roll onto the bacon, wrapping the bacon around it. Roll in foil and place in the oven until the chicken reaches an internal temp of 155 degrees. Allow chicken to rest for 15 minutes and then remove the foil and crisp up the bacon before serving.
To make mushroom mixture, in a pan put everything except the mushrooms and bring to a boil for 4 minutes. Trim the mushrooms and place in a container and pour the hot liquid over the mushrooms. Allow to cool.
To prepare potatoes, place potatoes in the steamer for 1 hour or boil until tender. Pass the potatoes through a food mill for extra smooth consistency and then into a large pan. Heat potatoes on a medium heat for 5 minutes while mixing with a spatula. Heat up the half and half to temper and add to the potatoes with salt and pepper, mixing slowly and adding more milk as needed as absorbed by the potatoes. Turn the heat down to low and add any additional milk, and then sour cream and butter.
To make cranberry jus, soak dried cranberries in the stock for at least 12 hours. Add all the ingredients together, bring to a boil reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the thyme and blend smooth. Season to taste.
Plate potatoes first, then arrange chicken with mushroom garnish and finish with cranberry jus as plated design.
![Vandals used white spray paint to deface the life-size bronze statue of legendary Gary mayor Richard Gordon Hatcher late Wednesday or early Thursday morning, officials said. Doors on City Hall were also spray-painted. Mayor Eddie Melton said police were investigating the incident as workers began cleaning up the statue and the exterior of City Hall, 401 Broadway. No arrests have been made. Melton said there are security cameras at City Hall. A spokeswoman for Melton said the statue’s head had been spray painted and workers covered the statue. “It’s a disgrace that anyone would come to disrespect City Hall, […]](https://www.chicagotribune.com/wp-content/uploads/migration/2019/12/20/EWH3RFPZI5GXHLQWO5AXW7XABE.jpg?w=535 "Vandals used white spray paint to deface the life-size bronze statue of legendary Gary mayor Richard Gordon Hatcher late Wednesday or early Thursday morning, officials said. Doors on City Hall were also spray-painted. Mayor Eddie Melton said police were investigating the incident as workers began cleaning up the statue and the exterior of City Hall, 401 Broadway. No arrests have been made. Melton said there are security cameras at City Hall. A spokeswoman for Melton said the statue’s head had been spray painted and workers covered the statue. “It’s a disgrace that anyone would come to disrespect City Hall, […]")