UNICEF "World Water Week" Tap Project Kickoff in Chicago

I was flipping thru channels last night and saw jessica biel on cnn w/ larry king talking about how millions of children around the world don’t have access to clean water, and thought about how when I was in 3rd grade at st clements, a speaker came in to teach us the same, and passed on many ways we can help conserve from as simple as turning the water off when brushing our teeth. That talk has actually stayed with me forever since couldn’t fathom that water could ever be scarce anywhere, but realized although I was trying to follow the speaker’s advice all these years, I never did any work to try and help share the message, so trying to help do that now.

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Tags: charity, chicago, cnn, conserve water, emile hirsch, jessica biel, kenna, kilimajaro, larry king, larry king live, lupe fiasco, MTV, mtv documentary, rodelio aglibot, santigold, st. clement, summit on the summit, sunda, tap project, unicef, unicef tap project, united nations international children's emergency fund, water, world water crisis, world water week

philippine island love in chicago by guest blogger : aeron lancero, GM of sunda

I am of Filipino decent and had the opportunity of receiving my education in the Philippines and living there a great deal of time. My Executive Chef Rodelio Aglibot was born there and raised in Hawaii, Rockit Ranch Productions’ founder and CEO Billy Dec is half Filipino and has been there over a dozen times, and our sushi chef Jesse is Filipino American as well. As we all have ties to the Philippines, clearly it was a priority to do something to help the victims of the terrible typhoons so tomorrow night, Tuesday, December 15, beginning at 6 p.m., Sunda will co-host a very special dinner with Gawad Kalinga, benefiting Operation: Walang Iwanan (Leave No One Behind) in our new Sunda private room on the second floor.  

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Tags: billy dec, gawad kalinga, philippine islands, rick munda, rockit ranch, rodelio aglibot, tony olaes, walang iwanan

chicago's best chefs come together to help meals on wheels

Chicago’s most renowned chefs and public figures come together to feed and entertain you all to benefit a fundraiser I have loved and supported for years called… Meals on Wheels!  You really need to see this video to be reminded of how impactful, engaged & talented our culinary scene is in this city, and to know how important this initiative of theirs is… and yes, the two total goofballs of all the chefs are from sunda & rockit… of course…    

Anyway, this Celebrity Chef Tasting Party is a blast (and super delicious!) complete w/ premium cocktails, wine, beer, casino gaming, an interactive photo booth, live and DJ entertainment…. From 8p-1230a this Friday Night 10/16 at Macy’s on State St!  tix & info are on www.MealsOnWheelsChicago.org ..  And as always, since I appreciate all that visit my blog & help support philanthropic efforts, I got 2 tix for the first person that comments below about how they helped spread this info to over 1000 people!  See you all at the party!

Tags: james gottwald, macys, meals on wheels, rockit bar & grill, rodelio aglibot, sunda

chicago 2016 olympics w/ travel channel's "bizarre foods" andrew zimmern

if you follow me on twitter, you know i am a travel freak! i’m writing this from moscow for goodness sake! combine that w/ my life long restaurant background, and my obsession for eating everything i can….and bang! i am of course a huge fan of andrew zimmern and his tv show “bizarre foods!” and if that wasn’t enough in and of itself, wait till you see what he told me about chicago’s food culture! now i really like him!  

Speaking of our world class food culture, I have been bragging about a local culinary event for a year now that blew my mind called “Chicago Gourmet”… and it’s finally back this weekend!  Not only does this even showcase the top talent of Chicago’s culinary community (including my guys chef james & the food buddha from rockit & sunda) through 2 days of high-end food & wine tastings, demos & educational seminars… but it all happens outside in beautiful millennium park!  50 chefs, 300 wine makers, 65 spirits providers… it’s amazing! 

Tickets are available at www.ChicagoGourmet.org for $150/day or $250 for a two-day pass… and since I will be in Russia… I am giving my 2 passes away to my friendly supporter that best describes why andrew’s comment about our food culture is right on!  Comment below and we will pick a winner by 5pm today

Tags: 2016, andrew zimmern, bizarre foods, chicago, chicago 2016, chicago 2016 olympics, chicago gourmet, james gottwald, millennium park, moscow, olympics, rockit bar and grill, rodelio aglibot, sunda, travel channel