Chicago magazine The Chicago Cookbook, Volume 2

A visionary culinary experience is coming to the Obama Presidential Center. The Obama Foundation is partnering with Chef Cliff Rome and Bon Appetit Management Company to create BAMJoy, a world-class kitchen with deep community roots in Chicago’s South Side. Chef Rome, known for Peach’s Restaurant and the historic Parkway Ballroom, is creating a dining experience that tells Chicago’s story through food, using ingredients sourced from local communities. “Our team will offer an authentic connection for guests that is a true extension of the visitor experience and a point of pride for the South Side community,” Chef Rome said. The Obama Presidential Center and BAMJoy will open in Spring 2026, offering creative dining in the campus restaurant and grab-and-go options in the museum cafe. Catering from this joint venture is available…

The cookbook you hold in your hands is an encapsulation of how Chicago eats. It has recipes from some of the hottest restaurants in town as well as classic places. It features food from both high-end spots and casual bars and covers a wide range of cuisines. What do all these dishes have in common? They represent this city well and are ones Chicago recipe editor Cate Huguelet and I adore. This is the second volume of The Chicago Cookbook, and it’s almost entirely different from the first one, which Chicago published in 2020. Of the 50 recipes, all but five are new for this edition. As you explore these dishes, you’ll see firsthand the creativity that our local chefs bring to their cooking and get a better feel for…

LUCY HEWETT With over a decade of experience and clients that include The New York Times, Food & Wine, and Bon Appétit, Hewett brings a thoughtful, journalistic eye to food, portrait, and lifestyle photography. She regularly shoots restaurant features for Chicago. Hewett is based in Logan Square and is always game for a road trip or a recipe swap. CATE HUGUELET In addition to collaborating with chefs to adapt their recipes for Chicago’s monthly In the Kitchen column, the home-grown freelance food and travel writer has contributed to publications such as Plate, Fodor’s, The New York Times, Saveur, and The Guardian. Huguelet, who lives in Bridgeport, has a degree in baking and pastry arts and daydreams of opening a bread shop. JEFF MARINI A photographer born in upstate New York,…

EL CHE STEAKHOUSE & BAR GRILLED OYSTERS WITH ONION AÏOLI For this grilled oyster dish (shown on pages 20–21), chef John Manion tapped his favorite party snack, French onion dip, and reenvisioned it as caramelized onion aïoli. These bivalves are finished with crushed potato chips and crumbled bacon, pretty much ensuring they’ll win every backyard barbecue. Makes 3 servings Active time 40 minutes Total time 1 hour 20 minutes Special equipment Oyster knife 1 Tbsp. olive oil½ Tbsp. unsalted butter1 large onion, choppedKosher salt, for seasoning¼ tsp. black pepper, plus more for seasoning¼ cup sour cream¼ cup mayonnaise½ tsp. lemon juice½ tsp. garlic powder½ tsp. onion powder½ tsp. smoked paprika¾ cup minced chives, divided¼ lb. thick-cut bacon (about 4 slices), diced12 oysters (Delaware or other East Coast variety)½ cup crushed…

LIBANAIS FATTEH BEIRUTIEH A Lebanese breakfast staple, fatteh Beirutieh (shown on pages 54–55) consists of pieces of toasted pita, yogurt, chickpeas, pine nuts, and butter. The interplay of temperatures requires some coordination, says Libanais chef-owner Nasr Khonaisser: The chickpeas must be hot and the yogurt cool at assembly, and the buttery pine nuts should be showered on top the moment they’re browned. Makes 4 servings Active time 15 minutes Total time 40 minutes 3 cups canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed3¾ cups plain yogurt4 garlic cloves, minced1 tsp. kosher salt, plus more for serving1 pita bread8 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into 8 equal pieces¾ cup pine nuts2 tsp. sumac (like the Spice House brand), plus more for serving¼ tsp. cayenne pepper, plus more for serving 1. Cook the chickpeas: Place chickpeas…

KASAMA APPLE AND OAT FRANGIPANE GALETTE Chef-owner Genie Kwon has a way of making familiar desserts new again, and this galette’s unusual take on frangipane (shown on pages 90–91), a French filling normally made with almonds, sprang from a concern for dietary restrictions. “I love using frangipane, but there’s an increasing demand for pastries without nuts,” she says. Kwon taps oat flour to achieve a similar texture and roasted flavor. Makes One 8-inch galette Active time 30 minutes Total time 2 hours 30 minutes ½ cup packed dark brown sugar½ tsp. kosher salt¾ tsp. cinnamon3 Tbsp. plus ½ tsp. flour4 medium apples (like Granny Smith or Golden Delicious), peeled, cored, and sliced ⅛ inch thick¼ tsp. apple cider vinegar3½ Tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature¼ cup granulated sugar2 eggs½ cup…