A Michelin-Starred Chef Offers Heartfelt Advice to Would-Be Restaurant Owners

EL Ideas’s Philip Foss divulges what he wishes he’d known before opening a restaurant

Fanciful would-be restaurateurs take note: running a food or drink establishment is hard, and one should probably get a therapist at the outset, according to Philip Foss of Michelin-starred EL Ideas. In an essay for the Takeout, he details what he wishes he’d known before opening a restaurant, from ditching the notion of a shoestring budget to the all-consuming nature of the business. Suffice to say, throwing an awesome dinner party does not necessarily a restaurateur make.

Fifth-annual Black Chicago Restaurant Week kicks off Sunday

More than 30 restaurants, caterers, and food and beverage vendors are slated to join in the fifth annual Chicago Black Restaurant Week, which kicks off Sunday, the Trib reported. Details on menus and deals aren’t yet available, but organizers will update the official website and Facebook page. Participating black-owned businesses include Luella’s Southern Kitchen, Mikkey’s Retro Grill, and Phlavz Bar & Grill, with a running list available online.

Pilsen Gourmet to celebrate Latino chefs before first ever Pilsen Restaurant Week

Pilsen Gourmet — an event from the team behind annual neighborhood festival Pilsen Fest — will bring more than 20 restaurants together to celebrate some of the city’s best Latino chefs this month, according to Block Club. From 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. on February 29, ticket holders can check out a chef demo from Eater Chicago’s 2018 Chef of the Year Diana Dávila (Mi Tocaya Antojeria), cocktails, beer, and treats from 5 Rabanitos, La Luna, Yvolina’s Tamales, and Taquería Sabor Y Sazón at 1647 S. Blue Island Avenue. The first-ever Pilsen Restaurant Week kicks off the next day and runs through March 7 — stay tuned for a list of participating restaurants.

West Town pasta restaurant Kickstarter brings in $19K

And finally, the tally is in on Wilson Bauer (Schwa) and partner Alice Richter’s fundraising Kickstarter for their forthcoming West Town pasta spot Flour Power: the pair blew past their initial goal of $12,000 to ultimately raise $19,240 thanks to 97 backers. Bauer and Richter hope to open the restaurant in late February or early March at 1642 W. Chicago Avenue. They promise a rotating daily menu featuring handmade pasta and sauces based on traditional Italian techniques.