Weekday Planner: Star Chefs and Winemakers Are Coming to Town
Guest Chef Italian Dinners at Joe Fish
One of Italy's star chefs is coming to town, traversing the city all week with a few special dinner events, two of which take place at Joe Fish. On February 11 and 12, Joe Fish's executive chef Joe Farina plays host to renowned Italian chef Maurizio Albarello of Antica Torre in Barbaresco, Piemonte. In honor of this great culinarian, Farina has concocted two evenings of seafood-focused five-course degustations, wherein both chefs will work in tandem. The menu features oysters, swordfish carpaccio, red snapper, and Albarello's Piemontese specialties and pastas. Each course will come with wine pairings via winemaker and producer Paolo Saracco of Saracco Winery in Piemonte. Dinner begins at 6:00 p.m. each evening with a cocktail reception, followed by a seated meal. The cost is $125 per person.
Anteprima Raises a Glass to Paolo Saracco and Maurizio Albarello
The other Albarello appearance takes place at Anteprima on February 9, the first wine dinner of the year for the Andersonville Italian staple. Anteprima's owner Marty Fosse will work alongside the Italian chef, as well as winemaker Paolo, to collaborate on a six-course menu to capture the true essence of Piemonte. The meal includes vitello tonnato, beef tartare, Barolo-brasied beef, zabaione, and more. Wine will be paired with each course and the cost is $85 per person.
An Evening with Elisabetta and the Wines of Montenidoli
In non-Italian restaurant news, there's another gem of a wine dinner taking place at La Sirena Clandestina on February 9, featuring a special appearance by one of the biggest names in wine. The evening is a multifaceted one, beginning at Cream Wine Company (1035 W. Lake St.) at 6:30 p.m. with a talk from Elisabetta Fagiuoli, the woman behind Montenidoli wine producers. Post-Cream, the group will then head to La Sirena at 7:30 p.m. for a five-course meal curated by chefs John Manion and Mark Steuer, each course paired with Montenidoli wines. The dinner is $65 per person and reservations are required.
- Matt Kirouac