Bacon-Crazed Fans and Foodies Feasted at UIC Forum for 9th Annual Baconfest Chicago

CHICAGO, April 4, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Baconfest Chicago finished its ninth year feeding over 4,000 bacon lovers and foodies with nearly 8,000 pounds of Nueske's Bacon. Chicago's top chefs from 150 restaurants joined together in the festival at UIC Forum for three sessions of delectable bacon-inspired cocktails, craft beer and unlimited bacon treats. Festival highlights include a visit from celebrity chef Bobby Flay, and bacon-lover, who attend the Friday dinner session.

Baconfest Chicago also presented $30,000 to the Greater Chicago Food Depository, an organization that makes sure no one goes hungry in the Second City.  Event ticket-holders also purchased $8,264 in raffle tickets from the Food Bank and brought over 1000 lbs of non-perishable food donations. In nine years, Baconfest Chicago has raised more than $400,000 for their charity partner, which translates to more than 1,200,000 meals for our fellow hungry Chicagoans.

As part of each session, participating chefs competed for the Golden Rasher Award, an award to celebrate special achievement in the bacon arts.  A panel of judges gave awards for "Most Creative Use of Bacon" and "Best Front of House Presentation."

The 2017 winners of each award are as follows:

Friday Dinner- March 31

Best Front of House Winners -  Mastro's Steakhouse and Italian Village Restaurants
Most Creative Use of Bacon Winner - Jordan's Food of Distinction, Lobster Pork Cappuccino

Saturday Lunch - April 1

Best Front of House Winners - Kitty o' Sheas and Troquet River North
Most Creative Use of Bacon Winner - Honey Butter Fried Chicken, Loaded Mash with fried chicken chunks and bacon buffalo sauce

Saturday Dinner - April 1

Best Front of House Winner - The Bad Apple
Most Creative Use of Bacon Winner - Three Floyds Brewpub,  Empanada with Confit Bacon & XO Sauce

HD photos of 2017 Baconfest Chicago are available here.

Sponsors and partners of Baconfest Chicago included: Nueske's Applewood Smoked Meats, The Cooking Channel, Breakthru Beverage, WBEZ 91.5 Chicago, Chiro One Wellness Centers, Jewel-Osco, Goose Island Beer Company, Labatt Blue, Lagunitas Brewing Company, Pabst Blue Ribbon, Old Style, Small Town Brewery, Old Smoky Moonshine, Virtue Cider, Cicero Beverage Company, Bakon Vodka, Hellion Cold Brew Coffee,  Smeraldina, Pure Leaf, bai Bubbles, Passanante's Home Food Service,  Burton's Maplewood Farm, Big Fork Brands, Four Eyes Handmade, Wagshal's, Tahoe Kitchen Company, Hall's, Onyx, Windy City Linen, Malman Law, lyft, and GetAround.com.

About Baconfest Chicago:
Baconfest Chicago held its ninth tasting event on March 31 and April 1, 2017 at the UIC Forum (725 West Roosevelt). Ticketholders gained access to a bacon-wonderland where the city's best chefs handed out amazing creative bacon snacks. Luxury brands, artisan bacon-makers, and bacontrepreneurs displayed, sampled, and sold a multitude of bacon products. The best mixologists and brewers handed out bacon-inspired cocktails, beer and wine. To celebrate special achievement in the bacon arts, Baconfest gave out Golden Rasher Awards (the Oscars of the bacon world).

Best of all, Baconfest is good for America. In addition to hosting a food drive and raffle at the event, Baconfest Chicago donates a portion of proceeds from ticket sales to the Greater Chicago Food Depository.  Since 2009, Baconfest's support has resulted in more than $400,000 for Chicago's food bank, which translates into more than 1,200,000 meals for hungry people in the area.

SOURCE Baconfest Chicago