Chef Jose Garces
An Iron Chef, a successful businessman and native Chicagoan, Jose Garces partnered with Chicago Gourmet for the first paella cook off this year at Mercat a la Planxa where we got a chance to meet him and ask him a little about his memories of Chicago and the ever growing food scene here.
CC: While growing up in Chicago, what are your best memories of the city?
JG: I attended Gordon Tech College Prep (now DePaul College Prep), which is a short distance away from Wrigley Field. There weren’t any lights at Wrigley Field then, so all of the baseball games were played during the daytime. I loved going to the 1:20pm games there – that meant I ended up missing my 8th period class, but it was worth the risk!
My other favorite memories are of summers when I worked at Foster Beach as a lifeguard. That was the coolest summer job to have as a kid in Chicago. I met some great people there that became lifelong friends.
CC: How do you think the food scene has evolved in Chicago since you left?
JG: The scene morphed from one that emphasized old-school, French-centric cooking and big steakhouses to a much more varied, eclectic dining scene. So many levels of the restaurant industry are covered now, from the avant-garde like Alinea, to a Mexican torta shop like Rick Bayless’s Xoco. The one part of Chicago’s food scene that I hope never changes is deep dish pizza. Deep dish is forever.
CC. What is your favorite restaurant in Chicago?
JG: I can’t help but mention Mercat a la Planxa, my Catalan inspired tapas restaurant, located in the heart of the South Loop. I also love all of chef Paul Kahan’s spots – they all have a relaxed feel, but with exceptional eats.
Although chef Garces operates over a dozen restaurants in the US, Mercat a la Planxa is his only culinary presence in Chicago at the moment. He continues to explore the Chicago market for new opportunities and the Chicago Chic surely hopes to see his presence grow in his hometown.
For more information about Mercat A La Planxa (http://mercatchicago.com/) and the Paella Cook Off (http://www.thechicagochic.com/paellacookoffchicago/)
COPYRIGHT © 2014 PRIYA SAWLANI
1 comment